Large number of foreign criminals roam free in Britain instead of being deported

More than 100 foreign criminals whom the Government wants to deport are being released on to Britain’s streets every month to protect their ‘human rights’.  In total, there are 3,900 overseas convicts on bail in the community, free to commit new offences.  Incredibly, 817 of them have been at large for five years or more.

A string of murders and sex attacks have been committed by foreign nationals who should already have been booted out.

The scale of the problem was revealed in a letter to MPs by Rob Whiteman, chief executive of the UK Border Agency.

Officials start proceedings to boot out the convicted criminals or offer them bribes to go home.

But once they have served their sentence, the convicts can continue to be held only if there is a good chance of them being deported imminently.

The offenders immediately use the Human Rights Act to say they have a right to a family life in the UK – and the courts let them go, pending their lengthy appeals through the British legal system.

Mr Whiteman said that, in an average month, 110 foreign convicts were freed from immigration centres on bail.  In 90 per cent of cases, the decision was taken by a judge. In the remainder, the Home Office itself decided there was little chance of immediate removal so let them go.

UK Border Agency statistics show that of the 3,900 currently walking the streets, some 2,500 were released from jail more than two years ago – including the 817 who have been at large for five years or more.

Mr Whiteman admitted to MPs on the Commons Home Affairs Select Committee that foreign criminals were not being deported quickly enough.  He blamed the delays on lengthy judicial processes, difficulties obtaining documents from other countries and deliberate attempts to frustrate the system.  Asked about the numbers, he added: ‘I don’t think I can guarantee that it will come down rapidly.’

Immigration Minister Damian Green blamed Article 8 of the Human Rights Act – the right to respect for family life and private life – for many cases.

Leaked papers have revealed how released foreign criminals on immigration bail have committed a string of violent crimes including three murders, three kidnappings and 14 sexual offences, among them rape.  There have also been arrests in relation to 27 other ‘violent crimes’ and 64 thefts.

Mr Whiteman revealed that there are 11,127 foreign criminals in Britain’s over-crowded jails.  He also updated MPs on the scandal of the 1,103 foreign prisoners who were released without being considered for deportation under Labour.  Six years on, only 399 of the convicts, who included killers and rapists, have been deported.  Some 455 have since been told they can stay, while other cases are continuing. Fifty-seven have never been traced.

Tory MP Dominic Raab, who has campaigned for reform of human rights law, said: ‘The Government inherited a lousy regime from Labour, and given the scope of judicial legislation we need primary legislation to fix the problem.
'Inherited a lousy regime'

‘We should amend the UK Borders Act 2007 to cut back on spurious human rights claims and strengthen our capacity to deport foreign criminals. That ought to be a priority in the forthcoming Crime and Courts Bill.’

Eurocrats are demanding that Britain introduce powers to seize the property of people who have not been convicted of any crime.

Under the draft directive, the state would be able to go to a civil court to claim someone probably got assets or property by breaking the law.

In some cases, a freeze could be put on their finances before a court order has even been granted.

The directive would apply to crimes including corruption, counterfeiting, terrorism, money laundering, organised crime and human trafficking.

MPs are due to debate the diktat next week, but ministers have said they are sympathetic to it. Mr Raab said: ‘This is a shocking power grab by Brussels.’

SOURCE