Pair face extradition over attack

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Two Tyneside men accused of taking part in a street attack on Crete in 1999 are due to be extradited to face a trial, which may end in a 20-year jail term.

Michael Tonge, 28, faces an attempted murder charge and Lee Yarrow, 30, is charged with aiding and abetting.

The pair, from North Tyneside, are due to be extradited to Greece on Wednesday after losing a High Court appeal.

They claim they acted in self-defence, while on holiday, when a local man suffered slash injuries to his throat.

Last week, London's High Court rejected their appeal against an extradition ruling made at the City of Westminster Magistrates' Court on 30 October.

'Inhumane treatment'

Mr Tonge, from North Shields and Mr Yarrow, from Cullercoats, who both have young families, claim they were defending themselves after being attacked by a knife-wielding gang.

They had argued they would not get a fair trial or might face torture or inhumane treatment if extradited.

In 1999 the then foreign secretary Robin Cook, the British Consul and Amnesty International took up the case after Mr Tonge spent four months in custody and complained of inhumane treatment by police and prison officers.

He claimed he had been beaten by guards, kept in a rat-infested cell, saw fellow prisoners attack each other with knives and deal openly in heroin, while some committed suicide.

Mr Yarrow spent four days in custody at the time.

The organisation Fair Trails Abroad has also taken up their case