Jonathan Taylor: Oil whistleblower 'coming home' from Croatia

Jonathan Taylor was arrested last July on an Interpol red licence, issued by Monaco, on bribery and corruption charges

An oil industry whistleblower who has been trapped in Croatia amid extradition proceedings has said he is free to return home.

Jonathan Taylor, from Southampton, was arrested last July on an Interpol red licence, issued by Monaco, on bribery and corruption charges.

The lawyer had lifted the lid on bribery at his old employer, Dutch oil firm SBM Offshore.

He said Croatia's justice minister had overturned a decision to extradite him.

The country's Ministry of Justice and Public Administration, said in a statement: "After carefully considering all relevant circumstances of the case, Minister of Justice and Public Administration Ivan Malenica rendered a decision not to grant extradition of Jonathan Taylor to the Principality of Monaco."

Monaco hosts an SBM Offshore regional centre

Mr Taylor was held when he arrived in Dubrovnik for a family holiday. His wife and three children have since returned home.

His arrest came after the authorities in Monaco sought to extradite him for questioning about claims he demanded money to keep quiet.

Mr Taylor, who has not been charged with any offence, denies the claims.

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He said the Croatian Minister of Justice Ivan Malenica had overturned a decision by the county's supreme court to extradite him to Monaco.

"I am delighted, I'm coming home.... Jon is coming home," he said.

He added: "Technically I can't leave just yet.

"The file has to be sent from the ministry of justice to the judge in Dubrovnik who determined my bail conditions so he can release me from my bail conditions. Then I will get my passport back and be able to leave finally for England.

"So it looks like I'll be watching the [Euro 2020] final here!"

Mr Taylor was held when he arrived in Dubrovnik for a family holiday with his wife and children

The Whistleblowing International Network (WIN) said: "We now call on Monaco to drop any further proceedings against Jonathan Taylor and to focus on the actions of SBM Offshore as a proper target for their investigations.

"We wish Jonathan a safe return to the UK where he can begin to rebuild his life."

He spent nine years working in Monaco for SBM Offshore, a Dutch multinational oil and natural gas company.

In 2012 he blew the whistle on corrupt practices at the firm - providing evidence about bribes being offered to government officials in return for lucrative contracts.

Following Mr Taylor's evidence, SBM Offshore agreed a $240m (£186m) settlement with the Dutch authorities. It paid a similar sum to settle a case in the US.

SBM Offshore previously said it had not influenced the extradition request.

A Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) spokesperson said: "We are assisting a British man and his family in Croatia until his return to the UK."