Foreign criminals who dodged deportation in the wake of Sir Keir Starmer signing a letter calling for flights to be halted went on to commit murder, batter a 999 worker and supply hard drugs on Britain’s streets.
The dangerous thugs won last-minute reprieves from Home Office flights sending them back to Jamaica in 2020.
In February that year, Sir Keir joined dozens of Labour MPs to campaign against deporting around 50 foreign criminals to Jamaica.
Their letter, to the then PM Boris Johnson, said it was ‘crucial that all further deportations are cancelled’, pending a review following the Windrush scandal.
The MPs compared the deportations of criminals to the Windrush episode, even though that involved migrants who suffered an injustice and who had committed no crimes.
It was two days before a planned deportation flight, and two months before Sir Keir became the Labour leader. Some 23 of the 50 criminals, including rapists and killers, managed to get off the February 2020 flight after last-minute court appeals. Their lawyers toasted their success after halting their removal, declaring: ‘What a result.’
Labour said at the time that Sir Keir had nothing to do with processes that allowed these men to remain in the UK.
In the wake of the letter signed by Sir Keir, another Home Office deportation flight to Jamaica – in December 2020 – saw another surge of last-minute appeals which led to serious criminals avoiding removal.
Sir Keir Starmer joined dozens of Labour MPs to campaign against deporting around 50 foreign criminals to Jamaica
Nico Elliott (L) was jailed for like in 2023 with his father Ernesto (R) for the knife murder of a man they stole drugs and cash from
DOUBLE RAPIST Fabian Henry: Jailed for 12 years for raping girl of 17 twice and for abducting and having sex with a girl of 15. Still living in UK in 2023
PUB SCUFFLE KILLER Fitzroy Dayley: Stabbed a man, 50, to death after a pub scuffle in 2012. Jailed 10 years. Finally sent back to Jamaica in December 2020.
Last night the Home Office said: ‘Foreign nationals who commit crime should be in no doubt that we will do everything to make sure they are not free to roam Britain’s streets.
‘Since the election we’ve removed 3,594 foreign criminals, up 16 per cent on the previous 12 months.’
Among the criminals who evaded the deportation flights in 2020 – after the letter Sir Keir signed – are those pictured , as well as:
- Barrington Laing: After career criminal escaped deportation flight, he was jailed again for six months for carrying a knife.
- Akiva Heaven: Served four years for drug offence. Beat deportation and was jailed again in 2021 for dealing cocaine and heroin
- Tajay Thompson: Convicted aged 17 of possessing crack and heroin with intent to supply. Evaded 2020 deportation. Beat up young mother and convicted of ABH and attempted robbery in 2023
- Damian Morgan: He attacked a 999 worker three months after being hauled off the flight to Jamaica. He was jailed 15 months.
- Theodore Carlyle: After avoiding deportation, he was jailed for five years, seven months for possession with intent to supply a Class A drug.
- Courtney Javal Williams: He went was jailed in 2021 for four years for dealing heroin and crack cocaine.
