The trial of a Norwegian man accused of orchestrating a contract killing on British soil has collapsed in chaos, with a hung jury exposing significant flaws in the European extradition system. The prosecution, which cost taxpayers an estimated £2.3 million, failed to secure a verdict after 17 days of deliberation, leaving families and legal experts questioning the efficacy of cross-border justice.
Mats Andersen, 42, a former bouncer from Oslo, was charged with conspiracy to murder after allegedly hiring a hitman to kill a Manchester businessman in 2019. The victim, local property developer James Cartwright, survived a shooting outside his home in Salford. Police arrested Andersen in Norway six months later under a European Arrest Warrant, but the trial in Manchester Crown Court ended on Friday with the jury unable to reach a majority decision.
The case hinged on encrypted messages and financial transfers, but the defence argued that the Norwegian justice system had mishandled key evidence. “The data was collected under different standards,” said defence solicitor Priya Sharma. “My client cannot get a fair trial when two legal systems clash.” The hung jury has reignited debates about the UK’s post-Brexit extradition arrangements, which now rely on bilateral treaties rather than the streamlined European Arrest Warrant.
For the Cartwright family, the outcome is a second blow. “We have been reliving the terror for four years,” said Margaret Cartwright, the victim’s mother, speaking outside court. “Now we are told there might not be a retrial because the Crown Prosecution Service says the cost is too high.” The CPS has confirmed it will review the case within the next three weeks, but insiders suggest that a retrial is unlikely given the financial strain and the fading memories of witnesses.
Legal observers point to a growing trend: hung juries in complex international cases have risen by 40% since 2020, according to Ministry of Justice figures. “We are seeing a crisis of confidence in cross-border justice,” said Dr. Hannah Roper, a criminologist at the University of Manchester. “The system was not designed for a post-Brexit world where countries operate like islands. The loopholes are big enough to drive a truck through.”
Andersen remains in custody pending a decision on the next steps. His supporters in Norway have launched a campaign for his release, citing the weakness of the evidence. But for those on the ground in Manchester, the failure of the trial is a reminder of the inequalities in a system that can afford luxury legal battles but fails the ordinary citizen. As one court official put it, “This is not justice. This is a lottery.”
