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Yashika Bageerathi's bid to stay in UK blocked | Yashika Bageerathi's bid to stay in UK blocked |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A High Court judge has refused to grant an emergency injunction to block the removal of an A-Level student from north London back to Mauritius. | A High Court judge has refused to grant an emergency injunction to block the removal of an A-Level student from north London back to Mauritius. |
Lawyers for Yashika Bageerathi, 19, had wanted the measure so she could take her case to the Court of Appeal. | Lawyers for Yashika Bageerathi, 19, had wanted the measure so she could take her case to the Court of Appeal. |
The last-ditch application was made as the student was being driven to Heathrow Airport. | The last-ditch application was made as the student was being driven to Heathrow Airport. |
Her case sparked a petition which has 175,000 signatures as well as a protest through London. | Her case sparked a petition which has 175,000 signatures as well as a protest through London. |
Ms Bageerathi, who is two months away from taking her A-Level examinations at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, told the BBC it was unfair to force her to leave. | Ms Bageerathi, who is two months away from taking her A-Level examinations at Oasis Academy Hadley in Enfield, told the BBC it was unfair to force her to leave. |
Speaking from the immigration service van taking her to Heathrow Airport, the student said she and her family would be prepared to leave the UK for a "safe place" once she had completed her A-Levels. | Speaking from the immigration service van taking her to Heathrow Airport, the student said she and her family would be prepared to leave the UK for a "safe place" once she had completed her A-Levels. |
She told the BBC's home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds it was unfair she was being forced to leave the UK. | |
The Home Office said it had received assurances the student would be able to complete her studies in Mauritius. | The Home Office said it had received assurances the student would be able to complete her studies in Mauritius. |
'Needlessly cruel' | 'Needlessly cruel' |
Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, has written to the Home Secretary asking her to "urgently reconsider" the "needlessly cruel" decision to deport the student. | Keith Vaz, chairman of the Home Affairs Committee, has written to the Home Secretary asking her to "urgently reconsider" the "needlessly cruel" decision to deport the student. |
Ms Bageerathi's school principal Lynne Dawes said the student was "petrified". | Ms Bageerathi's school principal Lynne Dawes said the student was "petrified". |
Ms Dawes, who said she had spoken to Ms Bageerathi at 14:00 BST, said: "I just cannot believe they would send her back six weeks from her exams." | Ms Dawes, who said she had spoken to Ms Bageerathi at 14:00 BST, said: "I just cannot believe they would send her back six weeks from her exams." |
Speaking to BBC News, she added: "You know, why can't there just be some compassion and humanity to allow her to stay and do those A-Levels. | Speaking to BBC News, she added: "You know, why can't there just be some compassion and humanity to allow her to stay and do those A-Levels. |
"I know there are laws but I just cannot get why, in effect, what is a few more months. It wouldn't hurt anyone over here, but it would make such a massive difference to her life." | "I know there are laws but I just cannot get why, in effect, what is a few more months. It wouldn't hurt anyone over here, but it would make such a massive difference to her life." |
She said there was "no compassion being shown" and that she was "embarrassed to be British". | She said there was "no compassion being shown" and that she was "embarrassed to be British". |
Failed asylum bid | Failed asylum bid |
The student, who has been in the UK since 2011, had been due to take the Air Mauritius flight MK057 at 21:00 BST, according to her school. | |
The airline had originally refused to fly her. When asked why its position had changed, it refused to comment. | The airline had originally refused to fly her. When asked why its position had changed, it refused to comment. |
On Tuesday, Ms Bageerathi's mother, Sowbhagyawatee, had asked the Home Affairs Committee to release her. | On Tuesday, Ms Bageerathi's mother, Sowbhagyawatee, had asked the Home Affairs Committee to release her. |
In the letter to the Home Secretary, Mr Vaz said that neither a senior immigration official nor Immigration Minister James Brokenshire had offered a "compelling reason" why the student should be deported before being allowed to sit her examinations next month. | In the letter to the Home Secretary, Mr Vaz said that neither a senior immigration official nor Immigration Minister James Brokenshire had offered a "compelling reason" why the student should be deported before being allowed to sit her examinations next month. |
"It is a hardship enough for this young woman to be separated from her family and returned to Mauritius where she claims she fears persecution," he wrote. | "It is a hardship enough for this young woman to be separated from her family and returned to Mauritius where she claims she fears persecution," he wrote. |
"To interrupt her education at this late stage in order to do so seems needlessly cruel. | "To interrupt her education at this late stage in order to do so seems needlessly cruel. |
"It is within your gift as Home Secretary to defer Yashika's deportation and I strongly urge you to do so." | "It is within your gift as Home Secretary to defer Yashika's deportation and I strongly urge you to do so." |
A Home Office spokesman said: "We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits and in this case the applicant was not considered to be in need of protection. | A Home Office spokesman said: "We consider every claim for asylum on its individual merits and in this case the applicant was not considered to be in need of protection. |
"The case has gone through the proper legal process and our decision has been supported by the courts on five separate occasions." | "The case has gone through the proper legal process and our decision has been supported by the courts on five separate occasions." |
Ms Bageerathi has been held in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire since 19 March. | Ms Bageerathi has been held in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire since 19 March. |
The A-Level student was due to fly on Sunday after a failed asylum bid, but the deportation was delayed. | The A-Level student was due to fly on Sunday after a failed asylum bid, but the deportation was delayed. |
Her school friends held a protest in Parliament Square on Saturday. | Her school friends held a protest in Parliament Square on Saturday. |
She had come to the UK with her mother and younger brother and sister from Mauritius in 2011 to escape a relative who was physically abusive. | She had come to the UK with her mother and younger brother and sister from Mauritius in 2011 to escape a relative who was physically abusive. |
The family claimed asylum last summer, but all four now face deportation. But due to Ms Bageerathi's age, her application was considered separately and she faces returning to Mauritius alone. | The family claimed asylum last summer, but all four now face deportation. But due to Ms Bageerathi's age, her application was considered separately and she faces returning to Mauritius alone. |