A judge at the United Kingdom’s Upper Tribunal, Priya Solanki, has blocked the deportation of a Nigerian man who was jailed for his involvement in a fake driving licence fraud scheme.
According to British newspaper The Telegraph, Tunde Alao, who moved to the UK in 2004 or 2005, served two years and seven months in prison for fraud.
The UK Home Office had planned to deport Alao after he completed his prison sentence. However, Judge Solanki ruled that his conduct did not constitute a serious threat to British society.
Alao had previously lived in the UK without legal status before applying for leave to remain under the European Union Settlement Scheme in August 2020. He was granted limited leave to remain in February 2021.
In June 2022, he was convicted of conspiracy to defraud over the production of fake driving licences between 2019 and January 2022. Although the scheme was unsuccessful, the court heard that it could have generated a substantial amount of money.
Alao pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 31 months in prison. He was also ordered to pay a £149 victim surcharge and was released in August 2023.
He later appealed against the Home Office’s attempt to deport him, arguing that he had committed no further offences since his conviction and had participated in courses aimed at addressing his behaviour.
Since October 2023, Alao has worked part-time as an office assistant and client coordinator for the same employer.
His employer defended him in court, describing him as a valued member of the team and saying he had integrated well into UK society and contributed positively to the workplace and local community.
In her ruling, Judge Solanki said she was not satisfied that Alao’s personal conduct represented a serious threat to one of the fundamental interests of the UK.
She noted that his estimated risk of reoffending was six per cent within one year and 12 per cent within two years, describing the figures as being within the low range.
The judge added that the risk could be further reduced if Alao participated in interventions designed to address the behaviour that contributed to his offence.
The ruling means Alao will not be deported from the UK based on the Home Office’s current case.
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