Western Daily Press (Saturday)
Judge to rule if refugee on hunger strike over age should eat
MEDICS are waiting to learn whether a judge will authorise them to start feeding a refugee who went on hunger strike four months ago after becoming involved in a dispute with the Home Office about his age.
Hospital bosses responsible for the man’s care have asked Mr Justice Hayden to consider whether the man is mentally capable of making his own decisions about eating, after doctors became concerned about his health. The judge finished overseeing a virtual hearing in the Court of Protection, where issues relating to people who may lack the mental capacity to make decisions are considered, on Thursday.
He confirmed that he hoped to deliver a ruling next week and said the decision was “very difficult”.
Mr Justice Hayden heard that the man was at a stage where he could rapidly deteriorate.
But doctors say they do not plan to force-feed him, if the judge rules that he is not mentally capable of making decisions, but hope he will accept the decision and allow them to provide nutrition.
The man, who settled in Bristol after fleeing his home in Gaza a decade ago, says he is 26 – although immigration officials have assessed his age as 31.
Mr Justice Hayden has heard how the man’s family had been killed, and he had been tortured, before he travelled to the UK.
Specialists say he is suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder.
The man took part in the hearing from his hospital bed and had a one-to-one discussion with Mr Justice Hayden. The judge described the man’s hunger strike as a “crusade”. He said the man had been given permission to live in the UK and would gain no obvious benefits if immigration officials altered their age assessment.
But the man, who is taking legal action against the Home Office in a bid to get the age assessment changed, says his correct age is key to his identity and a matter of great importance to him.
The judge ruled that the man could not be named in media reports of the case.