Greek court blocks extradition of 1999 Sydney murder suspect

A Greek court has ruled that a man wanted for a 1999 murder in Sydney will not be extradited to Australia, citing the expiration of the country's statute of limitations. The decision, delivered on July 22, 2026, by the Patras Court of Appeals, concludes a legal battle over James Dalamangas, who had been evading capture for 27 years.

The court panel deliberated for approximately eight to nine hours before rejecting Australia's extradition request. The ruling was based on a provision in Greek law and the bilateral extradition treaty between Greece and Australia, which mandates refusal if the alleged offense is time-barred in either country. Greek law imposes a 25-year statute of limitations for homicide, a period that has now passed since the 1999 killing. In Australia, murder carries no such time limit.

Dalamangas, 56, is accused of fatally stabbing George Giannopoulos, 32, during a brawl at a nightclub in the Sydney suburb of Belmore. Following the incident, Dalamangas allegedly fled Australia for Greece. He was arrested in June 2026 at a farm property in the town of Aigio in the northern Peloponnese, where he had reportedly lived for 18 years under the false name Antonis...