Local MP Antony Higginbotham has expressed his disgust at revelations that a foreign criminal who avoided deportation following legal challenges by Labour MPs and a host of celebrities has gone on to commit murder.
Ernesto Elliott was facing deportation due to previous drugs and knife related crimes but avoided the Home Office’s charter flight at the end of 2020 thanks to a last-minute human rights appeal spearheaded by over 60 celebrities, authors and Labour MPs who signed an open letter opposing the flight.
It has now emerged that only 6 months later, Elliot went on to murder a 35 year old man in broad day light in a horrific knife attack witnessed by members of the public and captured on CCTV.
Commenting Burnley and Padiham’s MP Antony Higginbotham said:
This is a tragedy that has happened because of misplaced political interference. It’s my firm belief that convicted foreign criminals who have no right to be in the UK should be removed, regardless of the protestations from the Labour Party, the do-gooding celebrities and immigration lawyers. Only last year I raised the issue in Parliament on behalf of residents.
It's an issue of public safety and sadly in this case, safety has taken a back seat. That’s resulted in the tragic death of a man not much older than me, leaving a family grieving a loss that never needed to happen. My thoughts are with them.
The Labour MPs who argue against deporting foreign criminals, no matter the severity of their crimes, need to realise the potential consequences.
Priti Patel, who oversaw the attempted removal of Elliot this week said the case showed why it was crucial to defy ‘do-gooders’ who try to block deportations.
Opposition MPs, including Labour’s Blackburn MP Kate Hollern who signed the letter, went on to compare the deportation flight to the Windrush scandal, even though the Caribbean migrants who suffered awful injustice in that episode had committed no crimes.
Alongside his son Nico, 23, Elliott robbed and murdered 35-year-old Nathaniel Eyewu-Ago. The horrifying incident was videoed by shocked neighbours. It shows Elliott, his son and another man repeatedly lunging with long-bladed knives and a hammer at the victim, who was armed with a machete.
Mr Eyewu-Ago collapsed after being stabbed through the heart and died in hospital six days later.
After a trial at the Old Bailey last month, Elliott was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum term of 26 years and a concurrent sentence of 12 years for robbery. Keeping him in jail will cost the taxpayer more than £1.3million at current rates.
After avoiding deportation in 2020, Elliott is thought to have been released back on to the streets within weeks. The Home Office can detain foreign national offenders only if there is a ‘realistic prospect of imminent removal’.
Home Office minister Chris Philp said at the time:
It is disappointing that specialist immigration law firms continued to use last-minute tactics to remove a significant number of offenders from this flight. Those we are attempting to remove have committed crimes which have a devastating impact on victims and their families.
Another foreign criminal who avoided being sent back to Jamaica on the same flight was murderer Michael Antonio White.
A Home Office spokesman said:
Foreign national offenders who exploit our system and commit crimes here in the UK will face the full force of the law, including deportation at the earliest opportunity for those eligible. While legal challenges can frustrate immediate deportation, we remain resolute in our commitment to deport those who abuse our hospitality.
The letter was signed by the MPs included in the following link:
Antony’s contribution in Parliament last year:
https://www.antonyhig.co.uk/news/burnley-labour-blocking-deportation-dangerous-foreign-criminals
