Killers and rapists hiding in UK
DOZENS of convicted foreign killers and rapists have been able to sneak into Britain and live undetected, sometimes for years.
A Sunday Express investigation found an alarming number of fugitives wanted in their home countries for serious crimes have been allowed to use the UK as a safe haven. Several have gone on to commit further violence and sex attacks in the UK before being caught.
Others have been released on bail while they await or fight extradition for trials or prison sentences in their countries of origin.
Westminster magistrates bailed a man wanted in Europe for a serious assault after he agreed to be extradited earlier this month.
This was despite the court earlier hearing he has a murder conviction in Albania and a history of bail breaches.
The conviction of Afghan asylum seeker Lawangeen Abdulrahimzai, 21, for the knife murder ofthomas
Roberts, 21, at Salisbury Crown Court last week shocked the nation.
It emerged Abdulrahimzai, who stabbed Mr Roberts during a row over an electric scooter in the early hours of
March 12 last year, tricked his way into the UK by claiming to be a 14-year-old boy and was placed in foster care while claiming asylum.
He was jailed for life with a minimum term of 29 years lastwednesday.
The court heard he had slipped into the country without officials realising he was wanted in Serbia for two murders and had other convictions.
Home Office figures released last week show the number of migrants claiming to be children, who are later found to be adults, remains high.
From October 2020 to the end of September last year the Home Office resolved the cases of 3,670 migrants whose ages it had contested after they had arrived claiming to be children.
In 1,769 of these cases, they were later found to be adults.
Our probe found many people convicted of or wanted in connection with the most serious offences regularly make it to the UK before establishing lives here. Emilian Sosu, 61, was on
Romania’s most wanted list to serve a seven year and eight months sentence for kidnap, rape and blackmail.
He fled to the UK and in 2021 set up an electrical installation business, allowing him access to people’s homes. His extradition was ordered last month.
A study of extradition cases over two months revealed 30 people convicted of or wanted on suspicion of murder or rape had hearings listed at the court in Westminster. It deals with extradition requests to England and Wales.
Alp Mehmet, Migrationwatch UK chairman, said: “The apparent ease with which wanted criminals are now able to enter the UK is a disgrace.
“We appear to have border control in name only, with greater concern being shown for the smooth flow of arrivals.
“The public has every right to expect better from their government.”
A Home Office spokesman said: “We have taken action to ensure all alerts for wanted persons and fugitives are available at the UK’S border.we are committed to ensuring that Foreign National Offenders who exploit our immigration system and commit crimes in the UK face the full force of the law.”