Surrey Police have defended their decision to charter a private jet costing nearly £16,000 to extradite a TikTok influencer, claiming it was the “only viable option” for his return to the UK.
Harrison Sullivan, 24, known online as HSTikkyTokky, was repatriated last summer after avoiding police custody for almost 12 months following a car crash in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024. Detained for unrelated matters in Spain last August, the force confirmed it spent £15,990 on the chartered flight to bring him back from Malaga airport.
However, a judge at Staines Magistrate’s Court deemed the use of a private jet “not necessary or proportionate”, rejecting a prosecution application for £18,049.47 to cover the flight and additional extradition expenses. The force justified their decision, stating that Sullivan’s extradition was “imperative for the safety of Surrey’s roads” as he had been driving at 70mph in a 40mph zone, leading to a dangerous collision.
While the police cited a risk assessment conducted by the National Crime Agency’s National Extradition Unit as the basis for the private jet, the details were not disclosed in court, prompting the judge to say she was not satisfied the chartered flight was justified. The judge ultimately ordered Sullivan to pay £8,050.27 in costs to Surrey Police, a significant reduction from the original application.
Sullivan, a fitness influencer, was handed a one-year suspended custodial sentence last November after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He has also been disqualified from driving for two years, will have an electronic tag for three months, and is expected to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation.
The total cost to both Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring Sullivan back to the UK after the crash was initially £28,350.27, but the judge brought the total bill down to £17,320.27.