A student from Derbyshire has paid US authorities £20,000 to avoid being extradtied to the US accused of illegally setting up a film sharing website.
The mother of a student who was facing extradition to America over breaking copyright laws has spoken of her relief that a deal has been struck with the US.
Richard O'Dwyer had created a website that authorities said linked to pirated films and TV programmes. Although he has paid a fine and agreed not to break any further laws to end the case, his mother Julia says he maintains he did nothing wrong.
The mother of a student from Derbyshire who paid US authorities £20,000 to avoid extradition to the US after being accused of illegally setting up a film sharing website has told ITV Central that they had a few 'scary hiccups' along the way.
Student Richard O'Dwyer said he is looking forward to returning to normality after striking a deal with US authorities over his TVShack website.
"I'm happy it's finally over," he told the BBC. "I still maintain I never thought I was committing a crime.
"I'm glad the US has decided to drop the case. It's a pity the UK wasn't able to resolve this."
He added: "I'm looking forward to getting back to university and see all my friends."
– Mr O'Dwyer's lawyer, Ben CooperRichard O'Dwyer is very happy to put this behind him. He has avoided extradition and will avoid a conviction.
The solution reached is pragmatic and allows Richard to finish his final year at university and get on with his studies at a crucial time in his life. We are grateful that the US recognised it was in everyone's interests to find a practical solution.
Richard O'Dwyer's deal with the US is "a first" in extradition cases, his lawyer has said.
Under the agreement, O'Dwyer must pay US authorities £20,000 and not break any US laws, "associate only with law abiding people" and work regularly in a lawful occupation.
– Mr O'Dwyer's lawyer, Ben CooperSo far as we know this is a first in extradition cases - and a sensible solution for UK defendants faced with an ever-growing extra-territorial reach of US prosecutions.
I expect this mechanism will be used by UK defendants in future US extradition cases now the precedent has been established and at least until the Government introduces the promised forum amendment into the Extradition Act 2003.
Earlier this year Home Secretary Theresa May approved Mr O'Dwyer's extradition, which he appealed.
On November 28 a deal was struck at the High Court in London to avoid him being extradited and led to him signing the three-page deferred prosecution agreement.
– Richard O'Dwyer's mother Julia O'DwyerThe UK government was happy to allow Richard's extradition to proceed, just like they have with others similarly accused of conduct in Britain, committed without ever setting foot in the US.
The Government is using a rotten law which was designed to bring fugitive offenders back to the place where a crime was committed, not for outsourcing our criminal justice system to another jurisdiction.
I feel very sorry for those people and their families who have not been as lucky as ours and who are still suffering under this rotten extradition law.
A student who ran a website where users could stream pirated films has "avoided a conviction" after paying £20,000 to US authorities, his lawyer has said.
Richard O'Dwyer, from Chesterfield, ran the TVShack website hosting links to pirated films and TV programmes.
But after a court hearing in New York, the 24-year-old avoided extradition and conviction by signing a Deferred Prosecution Agreement.
As a result he paid £20,000 to the authorities, representing the profits he made from TVShack between December 2007 and November 2009.
For more on this story see the ITV National News site.