'Postcard Bandit' Brenden Abbott facing up to 16 years in jail after Brisbane magistrate approves extradition to WA

Notorious bank robber and prison escapee Brenden Abbott, who was nicknamed the 'Postcard Bandit', will be extradited to appear in a Perth court by the end of this week.

He was arrested by Western Australian police today shortly after being paroled from the Brisbane Correctional Centre at Wacol.

A Brisbane magistrate approved the extradition this afternoon, with Abbott’s lawyers now seeking a Supreme Court review. 

He is expected to appear in a Perth court on Friday but is not expected to be moved to Western Australia today.

The 53-year-old was granted parole last month and transferred to the Wacol centre yesterday, pending his imminent release.

As expected, he was immediately re-arrested by Western Australian Police and taken to the Brisbane watch house for an extradition hearing.

Abbott was transferred to the watch house by heavily armed police, and the van he was in travelled along the Western Freeway and the Roma Street bus tunnel - a security measure previously afforded to US President Barack Obama during the G20. 

He has more than a decade to serve in Western Australia for various offences, including daring escapes from custody.

His lawyer, Brendan Nyst, said earlier today he would fight extradition.

It would not serve the interests of justice for Abbott to be locked up again, given the Queensland Parole Board deemed him to be no risk to the community, Mr Nyst said. 

"The decision to seek his extradition to Western Australia is somewhat perplexing and we would say unfair, given the history of the matter," he said.

Abbott had previously applied to be transferred to WA but that state's attorney-general had denied permission, he added.

Abbott had served more than half of his 25-year jail sentence, and was dubbed the 'Postcard Bandit' following reports he taunted police by sending them postcards while he was on the run.