13-year-old boy sues UK parents for ‘deportation’ to Africa over ‘gang involvement’
A 13-year-old boy has taken legal action against his parents, accusing them of “brutally” sending him to an African boarding school under the pretense of caring for a relative, only to abandon him there. The boy, whose identity is protected, contacted the British Consulate and a child welfare organisation after his parents enrolled him at a school in Africa and returned to the United Kingdom.
The legal battle began when the boy’s legal team argued that his parents had “physically and emotionally abandoned” him. His parents were reportedly concerned about his potential involvement with gangs in London, an accusation the teenager vehemently denies.
In a hearing that started on Tuesday, the boy’s lawyers sought a court order to have him returned to the UK, where he has lived since birth. However, the boy’s father’s legal representatives contended that the decision to send him abroad was a legitimate exercise of parental responsibility.
Deirdre Fottrell KC, representing the boy, argued that his parents’ actions were motivated by the belief that there was no other way to address what they perceived as risks. Fottrell stated, “The steps that this boy, not yet 14, has taken to try and remedy the awful situation he finds himself in are extreme.” She described the boy’s placement in Africa as emotionally and physically damaging and criticized the decision to leave him in such a situation as “extraordinary.”
Fottrell emphasized that the boy had categorically denied any gang involvement and that the risks his parents feared, such as being stabbed or shot, were unlikely to occur if he returned to the UK. She described the boy as “very polite and articulate,” with a love for football and cooking.
According to Fottrell, the boy was sent to Africa without prior consultation or warning, under the pretense of caring for a sick relative. Upon arrival, his parents left him there, which Fottrell described as “stark and quite brutal.” She further highlighted the boy’s reports of inadequate food, mistreatment, and general unhappiness in Africa, describing the experience as “humiliating” and noting that his English friends mocked him for being “deported.”
Additionally, Fottrell mentioned that the boy’s mother had previously admitted to physically disciplining him while in the UK. Despite acknowledging his own imperfections, the boy is reportedly “upset, confused, and distressed.”
Judge Mr. Justice Hayden, during the hearing, remarked that the boy had been subjected to “incredibly restrictive” measures in the UK, such as having his location monitored through his phone. This, he said, would be “pretty unbearable for most 14-year-old boys and girls.”
Representing the boy’s father, Rebecca Foulkes mentioned that social workers had previously reported concerns about managing the boy’s behavior before he was sent abroad. Foulkes highlighted instances of physical aggression from the mother in attempts to manage the boy’s behavior, as well as concerns about his social vulnerabilities and potential criminal activities. The boy had reportedly been late to class, stayed out late, and had been seen with expensive clothing and phones, as well as images of knives on his phone.
Foulkes argued that the boy’s parents had genuine concerns for his safety and well-being, believing that there was a real risk he was becoming involved in criminal activities. She maintained that Africa offered “high-quality care and education in a boundary setting” that was not available in the UK, where the boy’s potential was at risk.
The court also heard arguments in support of the parents’ decision, with the belief that it was made in the best interest of the boy, even if it conflicted with his wishes.
The hearing before Mr. Justice Hayden is ongoing, and a decision on the boy’s fate is yet to be made.
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