Premier League Player's Brother Avoids Deportation Over Human Rights Claim

The brother of a Premier League footballer, who has a significant criminal record, has successfully blocked the UK Home Office's efforts to deport him to his country of origin in West Africa. The man, who is in his twenties, has been the subject of a four-year deportation attempt by the government due to his extensive criminal history.

He is currently imprisoned for dangerous driving and possession of a knife, and is awaiting trial for charges including kidnap, false imprisonment, aggravated burglary, and robbery. Despite a past involvement in academy football for Premier League teams, unlike his successful footballer brother, he became involved in street crime. His criminal behavior has resulted in him sustaining gunshot wounds.

The Home Office first targeted him for deportation in 2022 after he received a 20-month jail sentence for possessing a sword, which also constituted a breach of an existing criminal behavior order. Although the Home Office lost this initial attempt, their subsequent appeal has also been unsuccessful.

A judge described the man as 'healthy and capable' but noted he has never held employment. His criminal record includes a sustained history of offending, repeated breaches of Criminal Behaviour Orders, possession of offensive weapons, and recent charges. He has been in prison for three of the last eight years.

However, an immigration tribunal ruled that deporting him would breach his human rights, stating he is 'socially and culturally integrated' into the UK and would be 'very much an outsider' if returned to his home country. The judge found he would face 'very significant obstacles to integration' there, despite his family maintaining some ties to the country. The man arrived in the UK in 2006, was born overseas, and does not hold a nationality. He is in a relationship with a British woman and they have a baby, though he has only met the child twice due to his incarceration.

The Home Office argued he is capable of work and has familiarity with his home country's culture and family ties that could offer support. However, the judge concluded that because he has never lived in or visited the country, his social and cultural identity is almost entirely formed by British culture. The Home Office is appealing this decision.