A UK tribunal ruled that a Jamaican man could face persecution if deported, according to British media reports.
A court blocked the deportation of a bisexual Jamaican man convicted of rape in the UK. British media outlets reported that the man, identified only as AA, argued he would face persecution in Jamaica due to his sexual orientation. The court accepted his claim.
An upper tribunal last year upheld this decision. Multiple news sources reported on the ruling on Monday.
AA received a seven-year sentence in 2018 for raping a sleeping woman after a party involving alcohol and marijuana. He claimed during his trial that he didn’t realize his actions were criminal.
Released in 2021 after serving half his sentence, the 41-year-old was deemed a “danger to the community” by the Home Office, which initiated deportation proceedings.
AA challenged the deportation, citing a past sexual relationship with an older man who was murdered, and subsequent violent attacks in Jamaica resulting in significant injuries.
The initial tribunal, and subsequently the upper tribunal judge Melissa Canavan, blocked deportation. Judge Canavan stated that given the prevalent anti-LGBTQI+ attitudes in Jamaica, AA would likely face similar persecution.
The Home Office responded to media coverage, stating their commitment to removing foreign national offenders and asserting that they are working to remove any barriers to swift deportations.
“This man should be thrown out of the country,” former British security minister John Hayes told the Sun, calling the tribunal’s decision “an insult to every victim.”