A COURT has deferred a decision on whether to extradite a York man to Spain over claims he was part of an organised crime gang until next year.

Paul Blanchard, 74, of Fulford, is alleged to have acted as a financial adviser for a criminal organisation operating in Tenerife between 1999 and 2001, but he told Westminster Magistrates’ Court he was actually working for the Spanish intelligence service.

A European Arrest Warrant was issued for his arrest in April 2018 but he challenged extradition at the hearing, claiming the warrant was “invalid”.

The court heard the group was led by Lebanese-born Mohamed Derbah, who allegedly laundered money through timeshare sales and fraudulent holiday packages.

Blanchard, who was jailed in 2008 over a multimillion-pound fraud, claimed he was feeding intelligence to Spanish officials and “feared being assassinated” as a result.

He said he gave Spanish police evidence including a 20kg package of documents sent from the UK.

Phone calls covertly recorded by Blanchard between himself and Spanish police officers were also played to the court.

The decision on whether he should be extradited is due to be given at a hearing in February.