Investigation into asylum seeking pupil at UK school ‘finds he is actually adult’

A YEAR 11 pupil at a secondary school was reportedly found to be an adult following an investigation triggered by claims from classmates that he was 30.

The asylum seeker, understood to be called Siavash and who claimed to be 15, is no longer at Stoke High School in Ipswich.

A Year 7 student has also left — though it is understood their status as a child is accepted.

Another pupil at the school posted a photograph of the Year 11 pupil on Snapchat, commenting, “How’s there a 30-year-old man in our maths class?”

It is understood the asylum seeker joined at the start of term, and he stopped attending the school earlier this month after concerns were raised.

A school spokesman said: “This is a matter for the Home Office. Neither a Year 11 student nor a Year 7 student is at the school. We cannot comment further on individual cases.”

The Home Office said: “Age-disputed cases remain a challenging area of work in

Student: Siavash

which no single assessment technique, or combination of techniques, is likely to determine an individual’s age with precision.

“In the absence of clear and credible documentary evidence, Home Office staff must rely on physical appearance and demeanour to make an initial assessment on whether a person claiming to be a child is under 18.

“If an individual is assessed to be under 18, but subsequent concerns about their age are raised, for example by a school, we will act quickly to reconsider the case.”