The 48-year-old British citizen Barry Spearing, who was arrested on January 6 2009 in the Black Sea city of Varna, will be extradited from Bulgaria to the UK, Varna Regional Court ruled on January 14 2009. 

Spearing was arrested based on a European arrest warrant issued against him and signed by a judge from London's City of Westminster Magistrates Court. Spearing had been issued with a sentence by a regional court in Ipswich in 2006 for frauds involving antiques committed in the period between August and November 2002. For his crime, Spearing was ordered to pay almost 1.9 million pounds sterling or face seven years' imprisonment.

He was arrested by Varna police officers in the village of Botevo in the Varna area, where he has been living with his girlfriend for the past two years.

On January 14 2009, Varna Regional Court decided that there was no reason why Spearing should not be extradited. The court said that its ruling did not deal with Spearing's guilt but with the European arrest warrant only. Spearing can appeal the ruling within five days.

According to a report in the Ipswich Evening Star newspaper, Spearing is a Suffolk fugitive responsible for a £1.9 million antiques fraud after nearly three years on the run. He used to own Wrentham Antiques near Southwold.

The European arrest warrant, the paper said, was signed by Judge Anthony Evans, and was taken out in August 2007 and related to forgery and counterfeiting. Spearing has been a fugitive from police and the Department of Trade and Industry ever since he was found guilty of defrauding creditors as part of his scheme.

The antiques dealer's trial in 2006 went ahead in his absence and weeks later Spearing, formerly of Green Drive, Lowestoft, was found guilty of 10 charges of defrauding several creditors relating to his bankruptcy in November 2002. These included three counts of false representation on land registration, two of making gift or transfer or charge on company property before bankruptcy, one of bankrupt concealed debt and four of using false instrument.

Spearing had been due to appear at Ipswich Crown Court for sentencing in April 2006, but police were unable to find him. The following month trial judge David Goodin issued a confiscation order for the £1,873,870 Spearing owed.

During his trial the court heard part of his scam involved filling in four blank cheques given to him by an auctioneer and dealer in Canada to buy antiques in the UK. The cheques totalled 327 635 pounds sterling and Spearing then paid them into his bank account.