The Home Office returned more than 320 foreign criminals and
immigration offenders with no right to be in the UK last month as
part of the Government’s efforts to stop the boats.
The people who were returned to their home countries included
over 200 foreign national offenders, over 30 asylum offenders and
over 85 non-asylum offenders, with more than 15 known to have
arrived in the UK via small boats.
The foreign national offenders removed were convicted of crimes
including rape and supply of drugs. They had a total combined
sentence of more than 145 years.
There were four charter returns flights to Albania in February,
with 220 other people returned to their home countries via
scheduled flights. This follows the Prime Minister’s announcement
of weekly returns flights to Albania following the agreement he
signed with his Albanian counterpart in December, which came into
force at the end of January.
Home Secretary, said:
“We are absolutely delivering on our commitment to returning
people who come here illegally or remain here without the right
to do so.
“Since the Prime Minister’s pledge in December, we have seen a
marked increase in returns as part of the government’s work to
keep the public safe and tackle illegal migration.
“That’s why we have today announced new legislation which means
people who arrive in the UK illegally will be immediately
detained and swiftly removed to their home country or another
safe country.”
In total, more than 690 people have been removed on eight
charters and multiple scheduled flights since 1 January 2023.
This includes over 450 foreign national offenders who were
convicted of serious crimes including rape, supply of drugs,
kidnap and possession of firearms.
The Home Office has arrested 365 people since the Nationality and
Borders Act became law in June. A total of 245 people have been
charged, and 155 have received convictions amounting to total
combined sentences of over 105 years. Of the total arrests, 87
have been for piloting small boats.
ENDS
Notes to editors
- Figures for recent returns totals are sourced from
provisional operational data. Comprehensive statistics on returns
are published in the Home Office quarterly
immigration statistics and migration transparency data, and
the latest available data was published on 23 February 2023.
- The Nationality and Borders Act is deterring illegal entry
into the UK, breaking the business model of people-smuggling
networks and speeding up the removal of those with no right to be
in the UK.
CASE STUDIES
Foreign national offenders returned by the Home Office
last month included:
- A Jamaican national sentenced to
over 20 years for attempted murder and Class A drug offences.
- A Norwegian national sentenced to
over nine years imprisonment for causing GBH with intent.
- A Latvian national sentenced to
five years for facilitating illegal entry
- A Hungarian national sentenced to
over eight years for Class A drug offences.
- An Albanian national sentenced to
over 12 years for rape.
- An Iraqi national sentenced to over
6 years for sex offences against children.
