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CRIME

British man wanted over murder in Italy refuses extradition

Michael Whitbread faced a second court hearing on Thursday November 9th after saying he did not consent to be extradited to Italy where he is wanted on manslaughter charges.

Published: 6 November 2023 16:22 CET
British man wanted over murder in Italy refuses extradition
Westminster Magistrates' Court, in London, where extradition proceedings are underway against the prime suspect in the brutal murder of a British woman in Italy. (Photo by CARLOS JASSO / AFP)

Extradition proceedings began in London on Saturday against Michael Whitbread, wanted by Italian prosecutors on charges of aggravated voluntary manslaughter after his partner was found stabbed to death at their home near Casoli, Abruzzo.

READ ALSO: British man arrested after partner found murdered at Italian home

Whitbread, a 74-year-old British national who has lived in Italy for the past three years, was arrested in England on suspicion of murder on Wednesday night after the body of Michele Faiers was found that morning.

Italian police had launched an international manhunt for Whitbread, saying he had gone missing in the days before the body was discovered.

He was arrested in Shepshed, Leicestershire, after having driven to the UK via Switzerland. He had contacted his daughter, who tipped off the police, Italian media reported.

Whitbread appeared in custody on Saturday at a hearing as the extradition process began at Westminster magistrates court.

Whitbread, who UK media described as a retired driving instructor and shop owner, was asked if he consented to be extradited to Italy where he lives. From the dock, he replied “no”.

The court was told Whitbread was a grandfather with family in the UK and was visiting relatives, and that he had booked a return ticket to Italy, the BBC reported.

District judge John Zani said in court on Saturday that Whitbread had not been convicted of anything.

He told Whitbread: “The Italian authorities wish you to return to face trial there because it is a very serious allegation.

“In the event you are convicted, a very lengthy sentence of imprisonment would almost be inevitable.”

“You live in Italy and say that you were visiting family,” he said. “I cannot ignore the fact that your visit here happened soon after the allegation of murder happened but a few days ago.”

Whitbread was ordered to next appear in custody at a preliminary hearing at the same court on November 9th.

The judge said the court was “working towards a full hearing” on February 26th, 2024.

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CRIME

REVEALED: Where in Italy you’re most likely to be a victim of crime

From theft and home burglary to cyber fraud and extortion, the latest figures reveal where in Italy you are most likely to fall victim to crime and the most common types of offences in major cities around the country.

Published: 17 September 2024 11:15 CEST
REVEALED: Where in Italy you're most likely to be a victim of crime

While Italy is among the safest countries in the world – it ranked 33rd out of 163 in the latest Global Peace Index report, right above the UK – crime is still a concern, especially in metropolitan cities and tourist hotspots.

According to the annual crime report from newspaper Il Sole 24 Ore, which collated the most recent data from Italy’s Department of Public Security, Milan was the Italian city with the highest crime rate in 2023.

Overall, some 230,394 crimes were reported in the northern metropolis last year, which corresponded to 7,094 offences for every 100,000 residents.

Milan was followed by Italy’s capital, Rome, with 6,071 reported crimes for every 100,000 residents (up by nearly 600 compared to 2022) and Florence, with 6,053.

The top ten was completed by Rimini (6,002 reports for every 100,000 residents), Turin (5,685), Bologna (5,539), Prato (4,887), Imperia (4,838), Venice (4,825) and Livorno (4,743).

At the other end of the spectrum, Oristano, Sardinia, was the Italian city with the lowest crime rate in 2023 as it ‘only’ saw 1,511 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

Oristano was followed by Potenza, Basilicata (1,934) and Treviso, Veneto (2,258).

Single-offence rankings

While the overall crime rate ranking provides a picture of Italy’s major crime hotspots, it doesn’t allow for any insight into the types of offences committed locally, which is why it is worth looking into single-offence rankings. 

Milan, Rome and Rimini (a popular seaside resort on Emilia Romagna’s Adriatic coast) were the Italian cities with the highest theft rates in 2023, with the northern city registering nearly 3,900 reported thefts (furti) for every 100,000 residents and the capital stopping just shy of the 3,500 mark.

Milan was also Italy’s least-safe city when it came to petty theft and pickpocketing, with over 900 such offences reported for every 100,000 residents.

READ ALSO: How bad is pickpocketing in Italy’s major cities?

Florence was the Italian city with the highest robbery rate (rapine), with 136 offences for every 100,000 residents. 

The Tuscan city was followed by Milan (128) and Prato (124).

Outside of big cities and popular tourist destinations, a number of smaller and, perhaps, slightly unassuming Italian cities had their own crime ‘specialisations’ in 2023. 

For instance, Ragusa, Sicily, ranked first in vehicle theft, while Pisa, Tuscany, came in first in reported home burglary offences.

Trieste, Friuli Venezia Giulia, had the highest sexual assault rate (24 reports for every 100,000 residents) in the country, whereas Crotone ranked first for attempted murder.

READ ALSO: The 8 red flags to look out for to avoid rental scams in Italy

Turin came in first for cyber fraud and online scams, while Isernia, Molise, was Italy’s extortion capital. 

National picture

At a national level, reported crimes were up by 3.8 percent compared to 2022, with online fraud and robbery registering 10.3- and 9.5-percent increases respectively. 

Assault offences also registered a 3.1-percent year-on-year increase, while there were 341 murders in 2023 – up by 13 against 2019. 

According to Marco Dugato, a researcher at the Crime Observatory of Milan’s Cattolica University, the latest increases “must be monitored, particularly for certain types of crime”.

In particular, “the rise of more impulsive, less planned, but more aggressive forms of criminal activity” such as assault and robbery “is of concern”. 

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