Albanian man repeatedly travels back to Wales after being deported

An Albanian national repeatedly breached a deportation order and returned to the UK in a lorry after he was denied leave to remain. As a result of the order he has been separated from his wife and children, who will remain in Wales.

Fatos Imeraj, 31, was stopped by police in Cardiff ^[1] on August 31 during a routine check after they became suspicious. He told officers he had arrived in the UK in 2008 and had travelled back and forth from Albania on a number of occasions.

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court ^[2] on Friday heard checks were carried out with the Home Office and were informed the defendant was subject to a deportation order. He was arrested and questioned about his movements in and out of the country.

Imeraj had previously made a number of attempts to re-enter the UK in 2019 and had been returned to prison in breach of his licence. He was convicted of possession with intent to supply cannabis and possession of ID documents with an attempt to deceive. He was sentenced to 24 months imprisonment and deported back to Albania.

A number of months later he was found in Dover where he had illegally entered the UK and recalled to prison. During his imprisonment, attempts were made by Imeraj to apply for asylum. Upon his release he applied for leave to remain in the UK, which was initially agreed until 2024.

Prosecutor Sarah Iles said the decision to grant the defendant leave was an error by the Home Office and he was deported back to Albania. Two months later, Imeraj made another attempt to enter the UK via Brussels but was stopped by Border Force.

Ms Iles said the defendant had “exhausted all routes” in respect of his immigration status. He told police he had last entered the UK in August in the back of a lorry. Imeraj said he came to Wales in order to see his family and due to his life being endangered in Albania. He pleaded guilty to breach of a deportation order.

In mitigation, Abigail Jackson said her client was “pragmatic” and accepted he would be deported back to Albania. She said the defendant’s wife was expecting their third child, and will remain in the UK with her children. The barrister said Imeraj no longer felt safe in Albania or Europe having faced threats and had moved to the UK with the hope of finding a safer and better life for him and his family.

Sentencing, Recorder Jonathan Rees KC said: “You repeatedly sought to evade the consequences of the deportation order. You have no lawful basis to remain in the UK or to return to the UK after you’ve left it.” He sentenced Imeraj to six months imprisonment, after which he will be deported.

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References

^{^} Cardiff (www.walesonline.co.uk)
^{^} Cardiff Crown Court (www.walesonline.co.uk)
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