HUMAN RIGHTS

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A serial sex offender who admits attacking 11 women has escaped deportation after a judge said it would breach his human rights. The Home Office argued that Mohammed Kendeh had a "high risk of reoffending" and should be sent back to Sierra Leone. But Sir Henry Hodge, Britain's top immigration judge and the husband of Culture Minister Margaret Hodge, said although the sex attacker had been refused British citizenship and was likely to offend again, he must be allowed to stay here.

Sir Henry said sending him home would breach his rights to a family life under the European Commission of Human Rights, and agreed with an earlier ruling that the prolific offender is "one of us". Kendeh's sex offences rampage began when he was 15, two years after he became a heavy cannabis smoker, and he has also committed burglary, arson and drug offences. In 2005 he was jailed for four years for two sex attacks committed days after he was released early from detention for burglary. Astonishingly he was again released early several months ago.

The Home Office last year tried to deport Kendeh, of Peckham, South London, but an immigration judge ruled the move was unlawful. There was then an appeal by the Home Office, but Sir Henry has now ended the long process by saying the he can stay here for good. The senior judge, who is president of the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal and a former chairman of the National Council for Civil Liberties (now known as Liberty), has a long record of supporting human rights causes. His latest ruling shows the near impossibility of deporting many dangerous foreign criminals thanks to human rights laws. (Source: Daily Mail, Oct/07)

Paedophile Andrew Baldwin has been allowed to work out in a gym at Whitecross School in Lydney, Glos, because bosses fear banning him would breach his human rights. Not surprisingly, parents are furious that the child molester can use the building which is next to a girls' changing room and toilets. The gym is on school premises but is open to the public. Charity Kidscape said, "When a child sex offenders' rights are upheld over the safety of children, the cuckoos are running the nest. It's insane." (Source: Daily Mirror, Oct/06)

Ministers have ruled out repealing or amending the UK's human rights laws as part of reforms of the justice system. The Home Office has been examining the Human Rights Act in the wake of concern that it fails to safeguard adequately the rights of victims. Home Secretary John Reid said the act would not be scrapped but there would be "robust" advice to frontline staff.

Some judgements using the laws have proved controversial, with claims that criminals have been able to use the act to get away with breaking the rules. Tony Blair said it was an "abuse of common sense" when a judge said nine Afghans who hijacked a plane to Britain could not be deported. A letter from the prime minister to Mr Reid appeared to suggest he wanted to give government the power to veto court judgements. But the home secretary has stepped away from that move. (Source: BBC News, Jul/06)

A devout Christian who lost his job after refusing to work on Sundays, lost a legal fight with his former employer. Stephen Copsey failed to convince an employment tribunal and an appeal that he was unfairly dismissed. The Court of Appeal threw out his case and refused him permission to go to the House of Lords. Both industrial tribunals ruled that Mr Copsey was sacked because he refused to work a seven-day shift pattern and not because he held particular religious beliefs.

Lord Justice Mummery, giving the ruling at the Appeal Court, said the right to manifest one's religious beliefs under the European Commission on Human Rights is qualified by a right to interfere when it is justified. "The company had compelling economic reasons which made it necessary to change the working practices of its workforce to a seven-day shift," he said. It makes you wonder if the outcome would have been different had he been a Muslim. (Source: BBC News)

Ministers are refusing to hand over evidence of Saddam Hussein's war crimes to Iraqi prosecutors, for fear of breaching his human rights. The former dictator is facing trial on charges of murdering and torturing thousands of his own people and British intelligence agencies have a huge file of material from years of spying on the Iraqi regime. But the Foreign Office claims its hands are tied because Saddam faces the death penalty which is banned under the European Convention on Human Rights. So, having spent £3billion on a war in which the allies tried to kill the dictator by bombing his palaces, Britain is now doing its best to keep him alive. The Government is also spending millions on training Iraqi judges who will conduct the trial, while at the same time lobbying them not to execute Saddam.

A driver who handed over seven illegal immigrants hiding in his lorry has been ruined because of human rights laws. Brian Kent tipped off authorities when he noticed that ropes on his lorry had been tampered with. He investigated with a P&O officer and found the seven immigrants in the truck at Dover. Police were alerted and he was told to drop off the illegals at the immigration office. Brian took them to the office but was then told he would have to pay £2,000 on-the-spot penalties under new laws on drivers carrying immigrants. When he refused to pay, his lorry was CONFISCATED, the officials gave him five minutes to remove his belongings and he was later fined £14,000. He was denied legal aid while the stowaway Iranians were granted it to stay and fight their cases and he lost out on nearly two years INCOME while he fought for justice in the courts.

"As I used to live in the lorry, I lost my home and livelihood in one hit," said Brian. To rub salt in the wound he was refused dole as he had made himself "intentionally unemployed" by allowing his lorry to be confiscated. Meanwhile the immigrants live on benefits. The Home Office relented and offered the truck back, but it had been wrecked by vandals in such a poor state after being vandalised, that it only fetched £600 for scrap. The £14,000 fine was dropped after he sued the Home Office for compensation but Brian missed out on damages because of a law loophole. Judge Peter Cowell said at Central London County Court in his final judgment on the claim, “The only just remedy would be an award of damages I have assessed at £41,175.” But the judge was powerless because the immigration officer who imposed the fine was acting legally.

Judge Cowell wanted to order compensation but could not because the Asylum and Immigration Law is not compatible with the Human Rights Act. He added, “How did it come about that a decent Englishman of good character, responsible for finding stowaways, leading to their lawful detention, could be penalised?” Mr Kent, of Borehamwood, Herts said after the hearing, “If I had dumped the asylum seekers and not told police I would be much better off today. Instead, I did the right thing and have been punished for that.” Mr Kent, who now works at Elstree Aerodrome in Hertfordshire, said, “The law is ridiculous. You think laws are there to protect you. The Government introduced a law that has ruined many lorry drivers’ lives, yet they cannot be held responsible for that law. I have been treated like a human trafficker.”

Brian said, “If I’d dumped the stowaways I’d have had no problems at all. When my savings ran out, I found myself homeless. I asked the council if they’d house me and they said I was a low-priority case. But they keep 20 homes free for illegal immigrants. The world’s gone mad.” An honest lorry driver does his citizen’s duty and shops illegal immigrants, but ends up losing his livelihood. The seven immigrants are now receiving benefits and have been given legal aid to fight for asylum status. Further proof that asylum seekers are given preferential treatment and have more rights than ordinary citizens. Can't be long now before there is a civil war in this country.

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