Surrey Police has defended its controversial decision to charter a private jet at a cost of nearly £16,000 to the taxpayer to extradite a TikTok influencer from Spain, insisting it was the "only viable option".
Judge Slams 'Unjustified' Charter Flight
The force confirmed it spent £15,990 on the chartered flight to repatriate Harrison Sullivan, the 24-year-old known online as HSTikkyTokky, from Malaga Airport last summer. However, at Staines Magistrates’ Court on Thursday 16 January 2026, District Judge Julie Cooper ruled the use of a private jet was "not necessary or proportionate".
She rejected a prosecution application for £18,049.47 to cover the flight and other extradition expenses. In her ruling, Judge Cooper stated: "In my view, it is not just or reasonable for him (Sullivan) to pay for a chartered flight when I have been given no satisfactory explanation for why that should be."
Police Justify Cost for 'Dangerous' Driver
Sullivan was wanted in connection with a car crash in Virginia Water, Surrey, in March 2024. Police said he was driving at 70mph in a 40mph zone before actively evading custody for almost a year. He was detained in Spain on unrelated matters in August last year.
In a statement, Surrey Police argued his extradition was "imperative for the safety of Surrey’s roads". They said the decision to use a private charter followed a risk assessment by the National Crime Agency’s National Extradition Unit, after other options were deemed not viable to "mitigate the perceived risks". The specific details of that assessment were not disclosed in court.
Prosecutor Kane Alexander suggested there were concerns the fitness influencer could be recognised by the public on a commercial flight. Judge Cooper countered this, noting Sullivan seemed to travel freely and suggested a first-class seat could have mitigated exposure if he was handcuffed.
Sentence and Hefty Costs Order
Sullivan had already pleaded guilty and was handed a one-year suspended sentence last November for dangerous driving and driving without insurance. He was also disqualified from driving for two years, given an electronic tag for three months, and ordered to complete 300 hours of unpaid work and 30 days of rehabilitation.
The total costs for Surrey Police and the Crown Prosecution Service to bring him back to the UK totalled £28,350.27. Judge Cooper reduced the final bill to £17,320.27, ordering Sullivan to pay £8,050.27 to Surrey Police and £9,270 to the CPS. She specifically deducted £10,000 from the police costs due to the unjustified private jet expense.
Defence solicitor Shalin Sood argued her client was "surprised by the private jet" and was compliant in custody. She also claimed Sullivan's income was an inconsistent £2,000 a week and he could not pay the costs quickly. Judge Cooper questioned this, referencing "his properties in the United Arab Emirates" and gave him six months to pay.
The court heard the fitness influencer is reportedly set to feature in a Netflix documentary by Louis Theroux exploring online misogyny.
