Home Office blocked from appealing against halt to deportation of Eritrean under one in, one out'

"The Home Office has lost its appeal against a high court ruling granting an Eritrean asylum seeker a temporary block on being deported to France under the new one in, one out scheme. In a highly unusual move, three appeal court judges rejected the home secretary's application for permission to appeal against a high court ruling granting the man 14 days to gather further evidence in support of his trafficking claim without hearing arguments from the other side."

"The Eritrean man, who arrived in the UK on a small boat on 12 August, was due to be deported on an Air France flight to Paris last week, but Justice Sheldon delayed his removal in a high court ruling. His lawyers had argued in the high court that he was entitled under UK trafficking rules to more time to gather evidence about his trafficking claim before being sent back to France."

Three appeal court judges refused the Home Secretary permission to appeal a high court order granting an Eritrean asylum seeker 14 days to gather further evidence for a trafficking claim. The high court had delayed the man's deportation to France after his arrival in the UK on 12 August and an imminent removal on an Air France flight. Judges heard arguments from Home Office lawyers but not from the asylum seeker's representatives. Government lawyers argued removal was necessary under the one-in, one-out scheme and that the man could pursue his trafficking claim in France, but judges rejected that position. Only three people have been removed to France so far.

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