A Nigerian criminal who has been convicted of armed robbery and crack cocaine dealing has been allowed to remain in the UK due to his belief that he is possessed by demons, The Telegraph reported on Sunday.
The man, who was jailed for seven years in 2011 for carrying out an armed robbery on a brothel, was later imprisoned again in 2018 for supplying crack cocaine.
Despite a deportation order being issued against him in April 2014, he appealed the decision on human rights grounds.
According to The Telegraph, the criminal, whose identity cannot be revealed for legal reasons, has spent much of his time in the UK in a secure mental health hospital, where he has been treated for severe psychiatric issues.
A doctor found the appellant “suffered from a trauma-related disorder with psychotic features.”
His report found that the criminal experienced intrusive memories and nightmares and was preoccupied with demonic forces “playing tricks with his mind”.
The case was heard by an upper tribunal judge, Stephen Smith, who ruled that a previous judge had made an error of law.
He acknowledged the man’s recurring belief that his mental health issues were the result of possession by demons and assessed that this belief would increase the likelihood that others would view his condition as a manifestation of possession.
“We note the appellant’s recurring belief that his mental ill-health is a result of being possessed.
“We assess that him expressing this belief would increase the likelihood that others will see his illness as being a manifestation of possession,” the judge said.
The court also noted that a report prepared by Amnesty International highlighted the risks the man would face if returned to Nigeria, where societal beliefs in demonic forces and witchcraft are prevalent.
The report suggested that these beliefs would likely amplify his condition and put him at risk of being targeted.
The report read, “It is our assessment that on return to Nigeria [the appellant] is likely … to encounter widespread attitudes that confirm and amplify his belief in demonic forces and witchcraft as being at the root of his problems.
“He is, moreover, at substantial risk of being identified as suffering from demonic forces and faces a resultant risk of being targeted as a result.”
The judges determined that deporting the man would not be appropriate, as it would remove him from a highly structured treatment environment in the UK, where he is receiving care that would not be available to him in Nigeria.
The man, who has expressed a desire to move away from crime, has been engaging in community activities such as attending the gym regularly and volunteering.
The man remains in the UK for the time being, as a new hearing can now take place.
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