A mother-of-three is set to become the first woman extradited from Britain to Albania after attempting to fly with a fake passport.
Albanian national Lirie Delishi, 25, was caught trying to travel from Tirana, her country's capital, to Rome using a fake Romanian passport in 2019.
She then moved to the UK as Albanian prosecutors had attempted to get her back to serve her four-month prison sentence.
Her case was heard at Westminster Magistrates' Court where Judge John Zani ruled she can be returned to Albania for fear that criminals will view Britain as a “safe haven”.
The judge said that this concern outviews her right to a family life under the European Convention on Human Rights.
Delishi’s partner Edmond and her two older children will remain in Britain.
She will serve her sentence at Posjka Prison with her newborn baby.
Delishi was pregnant with her third child when she appealed the decision and expressed sadness at her partner missing the few first months of her child's life.
Lirie Delishi was caught trying to fly from Tirana
|Delishi said: “It will be so hard for me to be without him during those important months and I will miss my other children so much.”
She said her extradition could mean their family would sell their house or close one of their businesses.
Judge Zani said in his sentence: “The UK is not to be considered a ‘safe haven’ for those sought by other (ECHR) countries either to stand trial or to serve a prison sentence.
"In my opinion, the criminal conduct set out in the European Arrest Warrant is serious and, in the event of a conviction in the UK for like criminal conduct, a prison sentence may be imposed. This court finds that the requested person is a fugitive from justice.
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Delishi said she has a large family in Albania, although her life is in the UK.
|"It is appreciated that there will be hardship caused to the defendant, her partner and to their young children.” As counsel are aware that of itself is not sufficient to prevent an order for extradition from being made.”
Delishi is believed to be still in the UK pending an appeal of the decision.
A 2019 graduate of computer engineering who studied in Albania, Delishi moved to the UK to be with her partner who she met in 2018.
Delishi has a large family in Albania, but says her life is in the UK.
She said: “I am settled in the UK with my husband and children.
“I could not bear the idea of being separated from them.
“My family are very ashamed of this case as I am not from the sort of family who get into trouble.
“Prior to this offence I had no convictions in Albania or in the UK.”
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