This post was originally published on this site.
Extraditing a TikTok influencer on a private jet from Spain at a cost of nearly £16,000 was the only viable option, a police force has said.
Harrison Sullivan, 24, known as HSTikkyTokky, had to be repatriated to the UK after avoiding police custody for almost 12 months following a car crash in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024.
A judge sitting at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Thursday deemed the use of the private jet “not necessary or proportionate”.
Justifying its decision in a new statement, Surrey Police said it was based on a National Crime Agency (NCA) risk assessment “after all other options had been considered and were unfortunately not viable to mitigate the perceived risks”.
The details of the risk assessment by the NCA’s National Extradition Unit were not disclosed in court on Thursday.
Surrey Police said Sullivan’s extradition to the UK had been “imperative” for the safety of the county’s roads.
It said: “Surrey Police is committed to reducing the number of fatal and serious injury collisions on our roads and we will hold people to account who endanger the lives of others.
“The manner of Sullivan’s driving was incredibly dangerous.”
The force said the influencer was driving at 70mph in a 40mph speed zone in his McLaren.
Sullivan was handed a one-year suspended custodial sentence at Staines Magistrates’ Court in November after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.
The social media star has also been disqualified from driving for two years, will have an electronic tag for three months, and is expected to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation.
The total costs to both Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bring Sullivan back to the UK after the crash amounted to £28,350.27, the hearing on Thursday was told.
But Judge Cooper brought the total bill down to £17,320.27, ordering Sullivan to pay £8,050.27 in costs to Surrey Police and £9,270 to the CPS.
When prosecutor Kane Alexander told the judge there had been concerns Sullivan – a fitness influencer – could be recognised by members of the public on a commercial plane, Judge Cooper said: “It seems that Mr Sullivan travels around on planes with impunity without too much risk to himself, so I don’t really understand.”
Referring to the costs incurred throughout the investigation, defence solicitor Shalin Sood said: “It’s not rocket science trying to locate where Mr Sullivan is – he livestreams every day.”
Additional reporting from PA Media.
