The Stansted 15 have received suspended sentences or community orders. The group had already been found guilty under anti-terrorist legislation following their successful action around a plane to halt deportation of 60 migrants to West Africa on 28 March 2017. They could receive life sentences.
On the same day as the setencing the Home Office has chartered a flight to deport over 50 people to Jamaica. This was the first chartered plane to the Caribbean since the Windrush scandal was exposed a year ago.
One of the likely deportees is Owen Haisley who has lived in the UK since he was four years old. He was told he could keep in touch with his three British-born children “via Skype”.
Over 10,000 people a year are forcibly deported under a system which the Home Affairs Select Committee describes as “inhumane”. Around half of these are EU citizens, a figure that has increased by over 40% since the Brexit vote. The policy of “deport first, appeal later” has been ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court but the practice continues. Courts overturn 42% of the Home Office’s decisions to refuse the right to remain yet many are deported before their case can be heard.
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