AUSTRALIA. BRITON TO BE SENT BACK TO SINGAPORE FOR MURDER TRIAL

Australia was to extradite British businessman Michael McCrea to Singapore to face trial for a double murder after Australia's highest court rejected his bid to avoid being handed over. McCrea, 46, was accused of murdering his driver and his driver's girlfriend, whose bodies were found in a car parked at a Singapore shopping centre in January 2002.
Known for its tough stance on crime, Singapore mandates the death sentence for murder and drug trafficking. Australia is an opponent of the death penalty and bans extradition of people who could face execution. In June 2002, Singapore promised Australia it would not impose the death penalty if McCrea were found guilty.
Lawyers for McCrea had asked the Australian High Court to block his extradition because Singapore's promise was unenforceable. They argued that it would therefore be illegal for Australia to hand the Briton over to Singapore authorities.
In a case that shocked Singapore, Kho Nai Guan was strangled and stuffed into a wicker basket placed on the back seat of his own car. The strangled body of Lan Ma Ying, the chauffeur's girlfriend, was left in the car boot. The two cloth-wrapped bodies were found after a passer-by alerted security guards to a foul smell coming from the vehicle.