French Holocaust denier to fight extradition from Scotland

Image source, The Campaign Against Antisemitism

Image caption, Vincent Reynouard was arrested in Anstruther in Fife after a two-year search by French authorities

A convicted Holocaust denier who spent two years on the run in Scotland is to appeal an order to extradite him to France.

Lawyers for Vincent Reynouard, 54, will address appeal judges in January, arguing a sheriff was wrong to allow his return to his homeland.

He was apprehended in Fife in November 2022 on an international warrant.

Reports say he was using a false identity while working as a private tutor.

Sheriff Chris Dickson ordered Reynouard to be sent to France to stand trial on charges including "public trivialisation of a war crime" and "public incitement to hatred" at a hearing in Edinburgh earlier this month.

Reynouard has been convicted several times in France between 1991 and 2020 for Holocaust denial and has been fined and jailed.

In a written judgment, Sheriff Dickson noted that Reynouard had posted an online video entitled Jewish Problem: What Solution?

Sheriff Dickson concluded that Reynouard intended to cause gross offence or knew his statements may be found to be so and that this would be an offence under Scots law. He ruled there was no barrier to his extradition going ahead.