CONVICTED killer Dermot McArdle appeared before the High Court in Dublin yesterday as an extradition attempt to return him to Spain to jail him in relation to his wife's killing got underway.

McArdle (41) of Haynestown, Dundalk, Co Louth, was remanded in custody yesterday with consent to bail, which was granted. McArdle is due to serve two years in a Spanish prison for the manslaughter of his wife, Kelly Ann Corcoran, 11 years ago.

The High Court heard that McArdle was arrested yesterday at 12.24pm by detective sergeant Jim Kirwan of the Garda Extradition Unit. Kirwan called to McArdle's home but he was not there. He then contacted him by phone and McArdle later presented himself at Dundalk garda station where he was arrested on foot of a European Arrest Warrant. The warrant, sent by the Spanish authorities, was en­dorsed by the High Court on Friday. When arrested, McArdle stated: "There is a Supreme Court appeal pending, that is the only reason I have not surrendered myself."

McArdle was granted bail yesterday on a number of conditions and is due to appear in court again on 9 February in relation to the extradition proceedings. He was released on his own bond of €150 and an independent surety of €20,000, €5,000 of which was lodged to the court. Michael Gibney lodged the surety on McArdle's behalf. His solicitor Mark Lynam, of Frank McDonnell Solicitors, told the court that the 41-year-old has been unemployed since December 2008. "He receives €253 in social welfare every week and has two teenage children to support," Lynam told the court.

McArdle, who did not speak during the hearing, gave an undertaking to appear in court at the next date, not to commit any offence, be of good behaviour and to remain in the state. The court heard he had already surrendered his passport to gardaí.

Kelly Ann Corcoran (29) died two days after falling from room 421 of Marbella's five-star Melia Don Pepe Hotel after arguing with her husband while on holiday in 2000. After he was convicted of her manslaughter in Spain in 2008, McArdle was ordered to pay his two sons, Mark and Paul, €60,000 each for the loss of their mother. He was also ordered to pay Corcoran's parents €100,000.