A British teacher accused of sexually assaulting a child in Turkey has been discharged from an extradition request by a judge.
Rebecca Richardson, 54, appeared at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday to fight extradition to Turkey over allegations she sexually assaulted a young child while teaching at an international school in Istanbul in early 2019.
During the hearing, Judge Paul Goldspring discharged Richardson from the extradition request.
He granted the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) two weeks to decide whether they wish to appeal the decision in the High Court.
A spokesperson for the CPS said on Wednesday: “On 25 June 2025, a district judge sitting at Westminster Magistrates’ Court discharged Ms Richardson from an extradition request made by the Government of the Republic of Turkey.
“The CPS will now consider the judgment carefully.”
The court previously heard that Richardson, of Cradley in Herefordshire, left the UK in 2000 and spent nearly 20 years living abroad.
She lived in Turkey between 2013 and 2019, but before that had lived in Mexico and Hong Kong, the extradition hearing was told.
She was granted bail until the next hearing at the court on July 9.
