Man wanted in Italy for allegedly committing sexual offences remanded in custody

A man wanted in Italy on charges related to the alleged human trafficking of women used as prostitutes from Romania into Italy has been remanded in custody by the High Court.

David Beniamin Vornicu (29) was arrested in Naas, Co Kildare on Thursday by An Garda Síochána after it received an SIS Alert from the authorities in Brescia in northern Italy.

The SIS states that his surrender is being sought so he can answer charges that he committed sexual offences against adults.

He is sought following a criminal investigation by the Italians into the trafficking of women from Romania, into Italy, where they were used as prostitutes.

The Schengen Information System or SIS alert, which is an information-exchange system used by various authorities in Europe, in this case informed the gardaí that a European arrest warrant (EAW) had been issued in respect of Mr Vornicu.

The EAW was issued in late June of this year.

Following his arrest Mr Vornicu was brought before Mr Justice Anthony Barr during Thursday's vacation sitting of the High Court.

The court heard that when the arresting gardaí put the contents of the SIS to Mr Vornicu he replied that he had “got caught up in something,” and that “I only answered the phones.”

The judge, after informing Mr Vornicu, of his rights to legal advice, an interpreter and that he could consent at any time to the extradition request, remanded the accused in custody.

Mr Vornicu, who was legally represented in court, did not speak during the brief hearing.

The judge was told by the accused’s lawyers that a bail application is likely to be made when the matter returns before the courts later this month.