A judge has strongly criticised Surrey Police for spending nearly £16,000 on a private jet to bring a TikTok influencer back to the UK to face dangerous driving charges, labelling the move as unjustified.
‘Not Necessary or Proportionate’: The Judge’s Ruling
District Judge Julie Cooper, sitting at Staines Magistrates’ Court, ruled that chartering a flight at a cost of £15,990 to repatriate Harrison Sullivan from Spain was ‘not necessary or proportionate’. The decision came during a hearing to determine who should pay the substantial costs incurred during the extradition process.
The court heard that Sullivan, a 24-year-old fitness influencer known online as HSTikkyTokky, was wanted in connection with a car crash in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024. After the incident, he managed to avoid police custody for almost a year.
The Costly Pursuit of HSTikkyTokky
Sullivan was eventually detained in Spain on unrelated matters in August 2024. Surrey Police, in partnership with the National Crime Agency’s extradition unit, then arranged a chartered flight from Málaga airport to bring him back to the UK.
The force later applied for £18,049 to cover the flight and additional extradition expenses. In a statement defending their actions, Surrey Police said the private charter was based on a risk assessment and that all other options had been considered but were not viable. They argued his return was ‘imperative for the safety of Surrey’s roads’, citing that Sullivan was driving at 70mph in a 40mph zone and had actively evaded police.
However, Judge Cooper was not convinced. She stated: “In my view, it is not just or reasonable for him to pay for a chartered flight when I have been given no satisfactory explanation for why that should be.” The details of the risk assessment were not disclosed in court.
Sentencing and Slashed Costs
Harrison Sullivan had already been sentenced for the offences prior to this costs hearing. In November 2024, he received a one-year suspended custodial sentence after pleading guilty to dangerous driving and driving without insurance.
His other penalties included:
- A two-year driving disqualification.
- Wearing an electronic tag for three months.
- Completing 300 hours of unpaid work.
- Undertaking 30 days of rehabilitation activity.
The total costs to Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to bring Sullivan to justice were said to be £28,350.27. Judge Cooper significantly reduced this final bill. She deducted £10,000 from the police costs application due to the unjustified private flight, ordering Sullivan to pay a total of £17,320.27 – £8,050.27 to Surrey Police and £9,270 to the CPS.
Defence and Wider Context
Sullivan’s defence solicitor, Shalin Sood, told the court her client was ‘surprised by the private jet’ and was compliant in custody. She questioned the necessity of such extravagant measures, noting: “It’s not rocket science trying to locate where Mr Sullivan is, judge – he livestreams every day.”
The influencer, who is reportedly set to feature in a Netflix documentary by Louis Theroux exploring online misogyny, made headlines previously for a viral clip. In it, Theroux recited Sullivan’s remark: “Call me racist, call me a misogynist, call me homophobic, call me a scammer – I’m all those things,” which Sullivan later described as his way of saying he didn’t care about others’ opinions.
This case raises significant questions about police expenditure and proportionality in the pursuit of suspects who have a prominent, traceable online presence.
