One of the UK's most wanted fugitives may need to face justice in Spain before being returned to the UK to be questioned on suspicion of murder.
David Ungi jnr was arrested at a gym inside a shopping centre in the town of Coin, Malaga, alongside three other men. The National Crime Agency (NCA) said officers in Spain had also seized a 9mm Ruger gun and ammunition from a rucksack during the operation.
Ungi, formerly of Melbreck Road in Allerton, boarded a ferry from Dover and disappeared onto the European mainland on July 15, 2015, less than 24 hours after teenager Vinny Waddington was shot dead in Banks Road, Garston. Two men were convicted of murder and jailed for life in 2016, but Ungi remained wanted until Thursday last week (May 5).
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Ungi, now 30, has already appeared before a Spanish court for a first appearance and extradition proceedings are likely to follow. However the ECHO understands in "most cases" in Spain alleged domestic offences are considered first before extradition proceedings can commence.
It is unclear what charges, if any, the Spanish authorities will lay against Ungi and how long a delay serious allegations would cause. Further court dates have not yet been set.
Ungi is the third NCA most wanted target captured in recent days after alleged murderer Callum Halpin was caught in Portugal on Monday last week, and Alex Male, wanted on drugs charges, was arrested at Lisbon airport last Saturday.
Speaking after news of Ungi's arrest was announced on Friday evening, Steve Reynolds, NCA regional manager in Spain, said: “Three of the UK’s most wanted fugitives being arrested in a week is a fantastic achievement. Ungi is a very dangerous person and his arrest is good news for communities both in Liverpool and Spain.
“These arrests would not have been possible without close cooperation between police forces in the UK and our law enforcement colleagues in Spain and Portugal. There are still a number of fugitives on our most wanted list, and they should know we will never give up and we’re never far behind them."
Vinny, 18, was the pillion passenger on a scrambler type motorbike being driven by his friend, Francis Humphries, which was rammed by an Audi A3 car. In the seconds that followed a single shotgun blast was fired from the Audi's driver side window.
Vinny suffered catastrophic wounds to the left side of his chest but was able to jump over a garden fence before collapsing. Mr Humphries was peppered with shotgun pellets but survived with relatively minor injuries.
Luke Kendrick and Ryan Bate were in the Audi and are a short way into life sentences after being convicted of murder in 2016, but detectives believe a third man was in the vehicle. It is not clear which of the three fired the fatal shot and the murder weapon has never been recovered.
