Husband’s anguish at ruling over his right to stay in UK

AN ALGERIAN who claims he fled a life of poverty and tragedy in north Africa will have to leave his wife and new home in Cardiff as he faces deportation.

Nacerddine Tedjani, 38, says he was orphaned at six-years-old and left homeless from the age of nine.

He left his native Algeria in 2006 and claims he was left in desperation with no support available from the government.

With his wife Virginia Ryall, 62, he has been able to build a life in the Welsh capital after arriving in the country 10 years ago.

However, as the Home Office never formally granted him residency in the UK, he has been served notice to leave the country immediately.

Mr Tedjani said that at around the age of six he was in a serious car accident in Annaba, Algeria, which resulted in the death of his mother, father, brother and sister.

After receiving treatment for his injuries he was put into a care home for children, but left when he was around nine years old.

“I [went] on the streets,” he said. “Sometimes I slept on the streets and sometimes I slept in the mosque.

“It was easier because it is warmer in Algeria [but], I didn’t have anything.”

Homelessness is a persistent problem in the north African country, with large numbers of women with young children forced to live on the streets or in slums in some of major towns and cities.

The situation is not helped by two brutal wars which have taken place within the last 60 years.

Mr Tedjani said he was never given any government help and received little to no schooling.

In desperation he left the country and sought refuge in Europe in 2006. He gained entry to the UK on January 16, 2008, after stowing away in a lorry travelling from Belgium. He was immediately detained by border officials in Dover.

He attempted to claim asylum, but his application was refused. While authorities processed his numerous appeals he was transferred to Cardiff.

Between 2008 and 2013 Mr Tedjani said he lived a disrupted life which would see him sometimes sleeping on friends’ sofas and on the streets in Cardiff and London.

Because he wasn’t legally resident in the UK he said he was not allowed to work or claim any income support.

“Sometimes I would be in London and sometimes in Cardiff,” he said. “Sometimes we would sleep in the mosque and sometimes outside.”

In 2013 Mr Tedjani met Virginia, who was working as an assistant manager for the RSPCA. Six months later he moved into her home and the pair tied the knot at the register officer in Cardiff in May 2015. They now live together in a flat in Splott.

“It changed my said.

“I have support for myself. I enjoy my life.”

But on March 5 this year Mr Tedjani was served with another notice from the Home Office to leave the country immediately.

While he accepts he has never had legal residence in the UK he said he cannot leave his wife, who has children and grandchildren living in Wales, and has nothing to return to in Algeria.

“How can a person live here for 10 years and make friends and family, and then there’s nothing I can do?” he said. “I don’t have support there. I left my country young.” Ms Ryall said: “I life,” Mr Tedjani can’t leave here. My family and all my friends and my grandchildren are here. I’m hoping he will be able to stay. I would be devastated if he had to leave.”

A Home Office spokesman said: “The UK has a proud history of granting asylum to those who need our protection and each claim is carefully considered on its individual merits.

“Mr Tedjani was found not to need the protection of the UK. This decision has been upheld in the courts by an independent immigration judge.

“Where someone is found not to need our protection we expect them to leave the country voluntarily.

“If they do not we will seek to enforce their removal.”