Red Carnation hotel group owners Stanley and Beatrice Tollman will learn in December whether moves to block their extradition to the USA have succeeded.

The couple are wanted in the USA in connection with a $100m (£53m) bank fraud. At London's Westminster Magistrates Court on Monday, their lawyers denied the allegations against them and argued the couple were victims of a "vindictive" campaign.

On Tuesday the case was postponed until 4 December.

As Caterer went to press, James Lewis QC, representing Beatrice Tollman, argued that the move to extradite the Tollmans from the UK was an abuse of process, claiming the UK Government's conduct in the matter had "far exceeded acceptable prosecutorial zeal".

However, Alun Jones QC, acting for the US Government, said the couple's legal team were trying to "filibuster" the extradition proceedings.

The Tollmans - Stanley is 76 and Beatrice is 73 - are both in ill-health and were not in court for the hearing.

By Tom Bill

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