TWO cousins will have to serve three-year jail sentences for manslaughter in Cyprus after they lost a High Court battle against extradition today.

James Hore

TWO cousins will have to serve three-year jail sentences for manslaughter in Cyprus after they lost a High Court battle against extradition today.

Michael Binnington and Luke Atkinson were charged with culpable manslaughter and grievous bodily harm for a fatal accident in 2006 in which they were seated in the back of a car.

The pair from Witham were in a car driven by Atkinson's uncle, Julian Harrington, when it hit a moped, killing 17-year-old Christof Papiris.

Harrington, who had been on the island to arrange his wedding, was sentenced to 15 years after admitting causing manslaughter and grievous bodily harm.

Binnington and Atkinson were originally acquitted, but the ruling was overturned last January following an appeal in Cyprus.

In April the Witham men were sentenced, in their absence, to three years and have since been involved in a legal battle to try to prevent extradition.

But at the High Court this morning their appeal against extradition was rejected.