A psychotic Nigerian criminal who ‘presents a high risk of serious harm’ to the public has been allowed to stay in the United Kingdom because he would be considered ‘possessed’ in his home country.
The man, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was jailed for an armed robbery on a brothel in 2011 and reoffended following his release – landing himself another stint behind bars for the supply of crack cocaine.
An order for his deportation back to Nigeria was made more than 10 years ago, but the convict remains in the United Kingdom living in the community following an appeal on human rights grounds, The Telegraph reported.
The man concerned has reportedly spent much of his time in Britain in and out of mental health asylums and is receiving treatment for an addiction to crack cocaine.
A doctor found that the criminal, who ‘hears voices all the time,’ also suffers from ‘a trauma-related disorder with psychotic features,’ believing that his ‘mental ill-health is a result of being possessed.’
Due to such issues with mental health and drug addiction, judges have decided against the deportation of the Nigerian, because ‘the highly prescriptive treatment environment currently enjoyed by the appellant’ would not be replicated in his home country.
A report prepared by Amnesty International stated that returning the man back to his home country would heighten the chances of his demonic beliefs being amplified – making him a possible target.
‘He is at substantial risk of being identified as suffering from demonic forces and faces a resultant risk of being targeted as a result,’ the report read.
An upper tribunal judge, Stephen Smith, said: ‘We note that the appellant’s recurring belief that his mental ill-health is a result of being possessed.
‘We assess that him expressing this belief would increase the likelihood that others will see his illness as being a manifestation of possession.’
The criminal, who said he ‘really wants to stay away from crime,’ has reportedly been attending the gym five to six days a week and taking part in weekly volunteering.
Experts, however, have deemed him of a ‘high risk’ to the public.
In a similar deportation case, a paedophile who moved to the UK following his conviction has too been allowed to stay in the country thanks to his human rights.
The 44-year-old criminal, named only as OS, was convicted for a sex attack on a girl aged under 16 in 2009 and spent three years behind bars in the US before moving to Jamaica.
In the Caribbean country, however, he reportedly continued to pursue young girls, according to The Sun, marrying a teenager he met when she was 15 and having a baby with her when she was 24.
Following the child’s birth, the mother moved to the UK along with her baby in 2015, leaving the convict in Jamaica. But now a judge has ruled that OS can join the pair because blocking him from living with his family would violate his human rights.
The Home Office commented on the case: ‘We remain resolute in ensuring there are no barriers to deport foreign criminals, as it is in the public interest for them to be removed swiftly.’