Strike Force Mannum detectives work to extradite Ryan Sampson over murder of James Callahan in Newcastle

A warrant used to nab a suspect during a wild Queensland manhunt has inadvertently initiated some legal hurdles for detectives wanting to drag the prisoner away from serving another two years on old offences to face a NSW murder charge.

Ryan Sampson, 33, arrested by Queensland police near Fig Tree Creek in Yeppoon on November 24.

Detectives investigating the Newcastle street stabbing death of James Callahan have been stymied in their efforts to extradite their main suspect because a parole revocation used as part of his dramatic interstate arrest has activated the need for him to serve jail time for old Queensland offences.

Ryan Sampson, 33, remains in a Queensland jail serving a further 722 days for old property and assault offences after a Return To Jail Warrant – the northern state’s equivalent of a parole revocation in NSW – has so far blocked any application for extradition proceedings before they could begin for any outstanding charges in NSW.

The warrant held Sampson in custody after he pleaded guilty two days after his arrest last month to some old prison guard assaults in Queensland and was sentenced to time already served.

But it has now also produced some legal hurdles, prompting ongoing discussions between the states on how Strike Force Mannum detectives can cut the red tape and hasten the proceedings that would see Sampson brought back into NSW to face a murder charge, rather than wait almost two years.

Detectives will allege Sampson is one of at least two people who stabbed Mr Callahan on Beaumont St in Hamilton in a sickening attack in the early hours of November 17 that was caught on mobile phone cameras.

James Callahan, who was stabbed to death at Hamilton. Picture: Facebook

Four other people have already been charged with murder, with detectives alleging a team of reinforcements were called in to attack the 22-year-old after an initial argument outside a kebab shop over rubbish being thrown on a suburban street.

Detectives will allege the argument outside the kebab shop on Cleary St occurred before Mr Callahan was followed about 100m down Beaumont St as others were called in to assist.

James Callahan. Picture: Facebook

The shocking footage shows Mr Callahan being set upon by multiple people before he collapses.

His death prompted a huge outpouring of grief across Newcastle, including a makeshift shrine being constructed outside the Australia Post office where he was found by emergency services, and a public memorial on Stockton breakwall.

Sampson was dramatically arrested following a large-scale manhunt through the coastal town of Yeppoon on November 24.

He was arrested by Queensland police on the Return to Prison Warrant and pleaded guilty on November 26 to one serious assault of a corrective services officer causing bodily harm, one of serious assault of a corrective services officer and one of failing to appear in court.

Sampson had a two-page Queensland criminal record, 29-page NSW criminal record and 46-page bail report tendered to the court.

Sally Callahan, the mother of James Callahan, at his memorial on Stockton breakwall. Photographer: Adam Yip

The court heard Sampson had 722 days remaining on the sentence he now had to serve out, which was the subject of the Return to Prison Warrant, before Sampson was sentenced to six months for the Queensland offences with immediate parole eligibility.

And it is that parole revocation which has prompted the red tape hurdle for Newcastle investigators.

Newcastle detectives are still set to travel to Queensland next week to interview Sampson while talks continue about how the parole can be set aside so Sampson could face extradition proceedings as soon as possible.

His extradition remains extremely important to the prosecution case, with four others now before NSW courts charged with murder.

The day after the alleged attack, North Lambton man Jason Talbot, 27, was arrested at Waratah police station at 11am and later charged with murder.

Alivia Muriel Briggs was arrested about 5pm on the same day at a bus stop in Bankstown and the 33-year-old later charged with murder.

George James Fernando, 43, was arrested in Moree on November 27 and later charged with murder while Frank Allen, 35, was arrested in a Sydney jail the following day and also charged with murder.