Pakistani asylum seeker awarded £100,000 for being ‘treated like a criminal’ in UK

A Pakistani asylum seeker has received nearly £100,000 in compensation after claiming she was treated “like a criminal” for overstaying her visa in the UK.

Nadra Almas arrived in Britain on a student visa in 2004. Her student visa expired five months after her arrival, but she remained in the country. Ms. Almas argued that her Christian faith would expose her to the risk of mistreatment if she were deported to Pakistan, as reported by The Telegraph.

She was given a notice of removal in February 2008 and made six applications to stay in the UK between 2005 and 2014.

In 2018, Home Office officials detained her and informed her of her upcoming deportation. However, she was released two weeks later. During her detention, the court was told, she was “handcuffed and imprisoned in a room with two men she did not know” before being informed that she would be sent back to Pakistan.

The court found “numerous breaches” in how Ms. Almas was detained at the Yarl’s Wood detention center, including a failure to consider alternative options before placing her in custody.

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In her ruling, Recorder McNeill criticized the prolonged delays, stating they showed a “reckless disregard for her rights.”

The judge also said that because of her uncertain status, Ms. Almas was unable to travel, move freely, develop her private and family life, work, or claim public funds, leaving her dependent on minimal asylum support.