FUGITIVE businessman Peter Murray Cowan is set to appear before Ipswich Crown Court after a landmark extradition from Germany.The 40-year-old, of Sirdar Road, Ipswich, is due to arrive at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday after a spell of six months in German custody.

FUGITIVE businessman Peter Murray Cowan is set to appear before Ipswich Crown Court after a landmark extradition from Germany.

The 40-year-old, of Sirdar Road, Ipswich, is due to arrive at Gatwick Airport on Tuesday after a spell of six months in German custody.

Suffolk County Council's trading standards department has pursued the extradition and he will appear at the crown court on Wednesday .

Murray Cowan will answer charges relating to computer software fraud worth around £1.3 million on the retail market.

Previously, he sparked a worldwide manhunt when he jumped bail after appearing at Ipswich Crown Court in September 2001.

Not guilty pleas to 12 charges of possessing and trying to sell computer software bearing a logo identical to Microsoft's had been entered on his behalf after he refused to plead.

The former prospective Ipswich borough councillor was eventually tracked down and arrested in Bavaria, on October 29.

He had fallen asleep at a service station in his Audi car, which was allegedly so packed with computer software that it was barely able to be driven.

Sensing counterfeit, German police approached Murray Cowan and took him and the 4,000 copies of programmes into custody.

The Evening Star was then asked to help identify Murray Cowan as the man wanted for jumping bail by releasing a photograph of him.

This enabled German authorities to confirm his identity, who then liased with their English counterparts at Suffolk County Council's trading standards department.

Next week's court appearance will be the first the time he has returned to Ipswich Crown Court since his disappearance.