Piracy-accused UK student won't be extradited

Richard O'Dwyer, the Sheffield student accused of copyright infringement through his website, TVShack, which linked to copyrighted films and TV programmes, won't be extradited to the US to stand trial, it was reported overnight.

According to the BBC, O'Dwyer has struck a deal with US authorities that entails him travelling to New York in the next fortnight to complete an agreement to pay a small fine and undertake not to infringe copyright again.

High Court judge Sir John Thomas said the deal was a "very satisfactory outcome" and hoped the matter would be resolved "happily before Christmas".

O'Dwyer, who has been fighting the case since 2010, has had much public support. Over 250,000 people signed an online petition against the extradition, set up by Wikipedia founder Jimmy Wales.

His extradition was approved by Home Secretary Theresa May in January this year, but O'Dwyer appealed the decision at the High Court.

As a result of the deal with the US, O'Dwyer will no longer have to go through with the appeal.

Instead, the extradition application will be returned to the High Court to be disposed of there.

The high profile legal case of the 24-year-old student received worldwide publicity as it was deemed to be disproportionate and unnecessarily draconian, and has led to a review of Britain's extradition agreement with the US to ensure Britons are fairly treated if accused by the Americans.

In October this year, May withdrew an extradition order against Asperger's and depression sufferer Gary McKinnon, who is accused of hacking US military systems in 2003.