A FURNESS man who was extradited to Canada to face fraud charges will now not face trial, it has emerged.

Peter Kevin Miller faced a host of charges related to fraud and theft and was due to stand trial in the city of Vancouver.

It came after the UK government agreed a request by Canada to extradite the 74-year-old in 2020.

However he will no longer face a trial after the charges against him were stayed, according to reports in Canada.

The more than two dozen charges were stayed against Mr Miller by British Columbia provincial court judge Ellen Gordon due to delays, the Vancouver Sun reported.

According to the newspaper, BC Prosecution Service spokesman Dan McLaughlin said: “Having cases stayed for unreasonable delay is clearly not in the public interest.

"We have reviewed the circumstances that led to the delay in this case in our efforts to reduce the likelihood of this happening in the future, and we will continue our efforts to ensure that charges are resolved in as timely a manner as possible."

The 13 charges of fraud over $5,000 and 13 charges of theft over $5,000 were said to have been filed in January 2017 following an investigation by the Vancouver police.

The charges related to alleged events between 2010 and 2013 with the accusations revolving around investment offences against 18 people in the city.

The defendant was brought before South Cumbria Magistrates' Court in 2020 and then faced an extradition hearing.

The Home Secretary approved a request to extradite the then 71-year-old, who was living in Grizebeck.

The defendant was told to provide £100,000 as a security deposit, surrender his passport and have a night curfew with electronic monitoring.

It was alleged in court documents that between November 1 2010 and January 31 2013 Mr Miller dishonestly made false representations to Gordon and Isabelle Truscott, intending to make a gain for himself or cause a loss of in excess of $5,000.

He was also accused of ‘dishonestly appropriating monies’ in excess of $5,000 against the same couple on the same dates.

Between July 1 2012 and January 31 2013 he was accused of dishonestly making false representations to Beverley Pugh, Claudette Bouchard, and Molly Rosenberg intending to make a gain for himself or cause a loss in excess of $5,000.