A Bradford truck driver is to be extradited to France to serve a three year sentence for drug smuggling after being found guilty in his absence.

Shaun Durkin, 43, of West Bowling was convicted of drug smuggling by a Court in Boulogne on the basis of evidence from one of his alleged co-conspirators - although his family say he has never been to France.

Another trucker, Frank Edgeley, who was arrested in Boulogne with 78kg of cannabis resin on October 21, 199, told French police that he was acting under threats made by Durkin.

Durkin, who faces being flown to France to start his sentence on Friday, has continued to protest his innocence, but the High Court in London has now ruled that he should be extradited to serve his sentence.

Le Tribunal de Grande Instance de Boulogne Sur Mer requested Durkin's extradition to face trial on November 7, 1998 after he was arrested in Bradford on October 16, 1998.

Durkin had appealed against a London magistrate's decision to commit him for extradition and did not attend the court hearing in Boulogne.

At the High Court last Friday it was heard that Durkin could not get a retrial as he had not lodged an appeal within the ten day period following conviction allowed by French law.

James Hines for Durkin argued that the extradition should be blocked as the procedure followed by the French court and the lapse of time since the alleged offence had put Durkin in an "invidious and unfair position" of not having a right to a retrial.

But Lord Justice Buxton, sitting with Mr Justice Sullivan, told Mr Hines that Durkin "could have had a retrial had he chosen to ask for one" and dismissed his judicial review challenge.

"We were asked in this case to decide where justice lies. I'm absolutely clear that justice lies in ordering Mr Durkin to return to France," said Lord Justice Buxton.

Today, Mr Durkin's wife, Jacqueline, said the family was amazed by the High Court ruling.

She said: "Nobody seems to know what's going on. Surely they can't just pick up an Englishman and take him to France for three years?

"When the letters first came through, we were advised to ignore them. Then officers from Scotland Yard turned up and asked him if he had his passport as he was being extradited to France.

"He's never been to France before. We've got three grandchildren and his mum is 73 years old. Anything could happen during that time."

Mrs Durkin said her family was taking further legal advice to see if they could take the case to the Home Secretary Jack Straw and she was prepared to pursue it though the European courts.

"We've rung our local MP, Marsha Singh, who put us in touch with a barrister, but nobody seems to know much about the French system. We don't know who to turn to for help."