CJ de Mooi: Dutch authorities abandon extradition bid over Eggheads star's murder claims

Eggheads star: CJ de Mooi
CJ de Mooi/Twitter
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Dutch authorities have abandoned efforts to extradite BBC Eggheads star CJ de Mooi to be questioned over an alleged murder in Amsterdam nearly 30 years ago.

The 46-year-old quiz fanatic is wanted in the Netherlands over his claim that he killed a mugger while living rough in Amsterdam nearly 30 years ago.

He made the shock confession a year ago in his autobiography, saying he punched a knife-wielding man in 1988 then threw him in a canal.

"I fully suspect I killed him. I’ve no idea what happened to him", he wrote in the book.

The Dutch authorities issued a European Arrest Warrant (EAW) earlier this year, saying they wanted to question de Mooi - real name Joseph Connagh - on allegations of murder, manslaughter, assault and assault by battery.

The star was arrested last month as he flew into Heathrow airport, held in custody overnight, and hauled before Westminster magistrates court where he pledged to fight extradition.

However today the Dutch admitted they had made embarrassingly basic errors and the arrest warrant had been wrongly issued.

Rachael Scott, for the Dutch, told the court "essential requirements" of a domestic warrant for de Mooi's arrest or a decision to charge him have not been met.

"There is not yet a domestic arrest warrant and there had not yet been a charging decision taken", she said.

"The focus is, as quite fairly they said, they wanted to question Mr Connagh.

"This does not of course preclude Mr Connagh's cooperation."

The EAW warrant was not in English at the last hearing, and after being translated the Crown Prosecution Service asked the Dutch authorities to clarify their position.

Myles Grandison, for de Mooi, applied for the EAW to be discharged and this was granted by District Judge Khalid Qureshi.

"It's a classic case in the absence of a domestic warrant that the EAW shouldn't have been issued", he said.

The court heard Dutch police were only alerted to the possibility of a crime by de Mooi's own book, and have been working for several months to identify a possible victim.

De Mooi, who made his name as an expert panellist on popular daytime quiz show Eggheads, said after his book was published he was willing to be interviewed by police.

However he insisted questioning could take place in the UK.

The judge urged de Mooi today to cooperate with police if requested for interview.

The full extradition hearing, which was set for November 28, will now not take place.

De Mooi, who lives with his partner in Caldicot, Wales, did not appear at court for today's hearing.

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