A Charedi rabbi is considering whether to take his fight against extradition to America to the House of Lords after a legal defeat on Wednesday.

Avrum Friesel, 56, moved to Stamford Hill in 1999. He had been wanted in America on fraud charges allegedly committed in the late 1980s and early 1990s when he was town clerk of the New Square Town in New York, a Chasidic community belonging to the Skverer sect.

Rabbi Friesel, who was represented by Jonathan Goldberg, QC, and Gary Grant, appeared at City of Westminster magistrates’ court in Horseferry Road to appeal against the extradition warrant. Despite letters attesting to his good character and the work he has done in Stamford Hill, the appeal was rejected.

Mr Goldberg said afterwards: “We are reviewing the judgment with a view to appealing to the House of Lords.”