Why wasn’t illegal immigrant drug dealer deported?
He carried on selling crack after jail term
AN ILLEGAL immigrant who escaped deportation despite being jailed for drug- dealing returned to the streets to sell crack cocaine.
Mohammed Shyheim, 31, has been sent back to prison – but has now applied for leave to remain in the UK. He is likely to argue that deportation to his East African homeland could be in breach of his human rights as he is the father to a young child born in Britain.
The right to a family life – article eight of the Human Rights Act – has previously been used by other convicted criminals to remain here. Shyheim escaped the attention of immigration officials when he came to the UK from war-torn Burundi as a teenager, and relied on the financial support of a British woman after failing to get a job.
He is estranged from his first partner who is the mother of his young child, but his current girlfriend pays his child maintenance on his behalf so he can still have parental access.
Shortly after his arrival Shyheim was caught handling stolen goods and failing to pay on trains, which saw him handed police cautions. In April 2008 he was handed a 42-month prison sentence for possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply at Sheffield Crown Court. He was considered for deportation after serving just 18 months but launched an appeal and immigration officials failed to pursue the case.
This week he is back on immigration’s radar as he was jailed again for two years at Hull Crown Court after officers found him in possession of £400 of crack cocaine in December.
He told officers he was penniless and needed the money to pay for a Christmas
‘Knew the implications’
present, despite also being in possession of two mobile phones, £90 cash and bank deposit slips for £680. Describing his arrest, prosecutor Katherine Kioko-Gillighan said: ‘The officers took hold of him as they feared he would take off. As they did so he dropped a small parcel to the floor. Inside there were 20 rocks of crack cocaine.’
Shyheim, of Posterngate, Hull, pleaded guilty to one offence of possession of crack cocaine with intent to supply.
Nigel Clive, defending, said: ‘He is not an errant parent. He does pay maintenance,’ adding: ‘He has a history, he does fall foul of making poor choices.’
Judge Kate Buckingham told Shyheim: ‘When you decided to get involved in this offence you knew what the implications would be, and the risks you were taking.’
The Home Office was unable to give details of any steps it has taken to deport Shyheim.