The revelation that the Clapham chemical attack suspect was granted asylum after being convicted of sexual assault raises serious questions about the UK’s asylum system and whether Abdul Shokoor Ezedi should have been in the country at all.
A car that was left at the scene in Clapham after the attack. Pic: James Weech/PA Wire
He first arrived in the UK in 2016 in the back of a lorry and his first two attempts to claim asylum failed.
During that time, he committed a sexual assault and indecent exposure and pleaded guilty in 2018. He was given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court.
Follow live: Police hunt Clapham chemical attack suspect
In 2020, he was granted asylum by a tribunal of judges in Newcastle. It’s understood that was an appeal of his previous failed claims.
Monira Hussain: ‘Whole system is just chaotic’
The decision was reached after a priest vouched that he had converted to Christianity.
The case is raising questions about how asylum decisions are made and whether the system is fit for purpose.
UK law on deporting foreign criminals applies to individuals who are sentenced to a period of imprisonment of at least 12 months or have committed a serious offence.
After admitting both sexual assault and exposure, Ezedi was sentenced to nine weeks imprisonment for the assault and 36 weeks for exposure. Both sentences were suspended for two years, meaning he did not spend time in jail.
However, even when an asylum seeker or refugee is convicted of a serious crime or is sentenced to more than 12 months in jail, they can still appeal deportation back to their country of origin on the grounds that their life or freedom would be threatened due to factors including their religion.
Abdul Shokoor Ezedi is being hunted by police. Pic: Met Police
‘System is chaotic…it’s not effective’
“The system is just collapsing,” says Monira Hussain, an immigration lawyer based in Oldham, who believes reform is needed.
“The law is there to protect genuine individuals – however, the implementation of that law and the immigration system is collapsing, it’s not working, it’s not effective” she says. “The whole system is just chaotic.”
She says Ezedi would have had to provide “significant evidence” of his conversion to Christianity when his claim was being processed.
“This perpetrator clearly said that he’d converted to Christianity and therefore he could not go back to Afghanistan.
“I presume part of his claim would have been that because he’s now a Christian, he can’t go back to a predominantly Taliban, Muslim society and his life would be at risk”.
Everything we know about the Clapham chemical attack
Analysis: How was a convicted sex offender granted asylum in the UK?
She says there is no current policy that deals with people who’ve committed crimes but can’t be returned to their country of origin and believes the government should be targetting convicted criminals with the Rwanda policy, rather than all new arrivals on small boats.
“If you can’t go back to your home country then the policy such as the Rwanda policy would be highly effective for people like this to be removed,” she says.
“I had a client who must have had over 24 offences, albeit not offences that attracted a custodial sentence, and he could not be returned to Iran because of his fear of persecution on his own grounds which were religious and political.
“He’s still in the United Kingdom” she says.
But she rejects claims by the government that immigration lawyers are to blame for thwarting deportations.
“What they’re failing to understand that as a result of their failure of policies and implementation they don’t have a grasp of the system” she says.
“As a lawyer, my job is to represent genuine people and that’s what I do on a day-to-day basis. We are slogging it out in a system which is not working.”
News Related
-
Asylum seekers travel in an inflatable boat across the English Channel, bound for Dover on the south coast of England (Photo: Ben Stansall/AFP) Up to 40 Conservative MPs are poised to rebel over Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda deportation policy as they question ministers’ commitment to the scheme. A major row is ...
See Details:
Up to 40 Tory MPs ‘set to rebel’ if Sunak’s Rwanda plan doesn’t override ECHR
-
In the saltmarsh fringing where the Ballyboe River dissolves into Trawbreaga Bay, a little egret wears its plumage like a windblown stole. Our car swoops across the 10 arches of Malin bridge and we park along the village green. Malin is almost as far north as you can get on ...
See Details:
Country diary: A tale of three churches
-
Photograph: Chris Ratcliffe/EPA Hampton Court is an enduring monument to the power of Henry VIII, a pleasure palace down the Thames from Westminster and the City of London. On Monday it was the scene of power projection of a different kind, as Rishi Sunak pitched for investment from some of ...
See Details:
Sunak woos business elite with royal welcome – but they seek certainty
-
-
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January Tottenham Hotspur have joined the race to bring an overseas defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report. Postecoglou’s centre-back options The Lilywhites currently have Micky Van De Ven, Ashley Phillips, Cristian Romero and Eric ...
See Details:
Tottenham interested in move to sign “fearless” £20m defender in January
-
A £100m campaign urging households and businesses to use less water will be funded from customers’ bills, Ofwat has said. Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign The regulator’s chief executive David Black told MPs that if the measures worked it would be cheaper than building ...
See Details:
Bill payers to stump up cost of £100m water usage campaign
-
FILE PHOTO: Soccer Football – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 – Group B – Canada Training – Olympic Park, Melbourne, Australia – July 24, 2023 Canada’s Christine Sinclair during training REUTERS/Hannah Mckay/File Photo (Reuters) – BC Place in Vancouver, British Columbia, will be renamed “Christine Sinclair ...
See Details:
Soccer-Venue renamed 'Christine Sinclair Place' for Canada soccer great's final game
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Phil Taylor makes his pick for 2024 World Darts Championship winner
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Soccer-Howe aims to boost Newcastle's momentum in PSG clash
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Hamilton heads for hibernation with a word of warning
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
Carolina Panthers fire head coach Frank Reich after 1-10 start to the season
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
This exercise is critical for golfers. 4 tips to doing it right
-
Michael van Gerwen is hunting down a fourth World Championship title (Picture: Getty Images) Michael van Gerwen is Phil Taylor’s tip to lift the World Darts Championship trophy for a fourth time in January, expecting a backlash from the recent defeat in the Players Championship Finals. The 2024 World Championship ...
See Details:
One in three households with children 'will struggle to afford Christmas'
-
OTHER NEWS
Kobbie Mainoo made his first start for Man Utd at Everton (Photo: Getty) The Football Association are reportedly confident that Manchester United starlet Kobbie Mainoo will choose to represent England ...
Read more »
Michael Smith will begin the defence of his world title on the opening night (Picture: Getty Images) The 2024 World Darts Championship is less than three weeks away and the ...
Read more »
For the first time a long haul commercial aircraft is flying across the Atlantic using 100% sustainable aviation fuel (SAF). A long haul commercial flight is flying to the US ...
Read more »
The King has met business and finance leaders from across the world at a Buckingham Palace reception to mark the conclusion of the UK’s Global Investment Summit. Charles was introduced ...
Read more »
After Ohio State’s 30-24 loss to Michigan Saturday, many college football fans were wondering where Lou Holtz was. In his postgame interview after the Buckeyes beat Notre Dame 17-14 in ...
Read more »
Darius Slay wouldn’t have minded being penalized on controversial no-call No matter which team you were rooting for on Sunday, we can all agree that the officiating job performed by ...
Read more »
New England Patriots quarterback Mac Jones (10) Quarterback Mac Jones remains committed to finding success with the New England Patriots even though his future is up in the air following ...
Read more »