An Iraqi asylum seeker who told authorities he needed time to make up a reason to stay in the UK has been granted permission to remain in the country after a nine-year legal battle. The unnamed man arrived in Britain in 2016 concealed in a lorry and made the frank admission during his initial screening interview with immigration officials.
According to Express, during the screening interview, the asylum seeker made a remarkably candid admission, telling officials: “I don’t have a real reason to be here. Give me some time, and I will make up a reason.” This candid statement would later be used by the Home Office to challenge his credibility throughout the lengthy legal proceedings that followed his arrival.
Despite his honest admission about lacking genuine grounds for asylum, the case took a significant turn when evidence emerged of serious trauma the man had endured in his home country. Medical examination by a Freedom From Torture doctor revealed physical scarring and injuries consistent with torture, including evidence of an attempted amputation that left visible marks on his arm.
Upper tribunal judges rule man cannot safely return to Iraq
The asylum seeker’s initial claim was rejected by the Home Office in 2019, three years after his arrival. He subsequently launched two unsuccessful appeals in 2020 and 2022 before his case reached the upper tribunal level. The case was heard by two senior judges in April, where crucial evidence about his treatment by ISIS came to light.
Medical testimony revealed that the man had been abducted, detained, and tortured by ISIS and other militia groups during his time in Iraq. The examining doctor noted that while his accounts of the torture varied between interviews, this inconsistency could be attributed to various factors and did not undermine the overall credibility of his claims about the abuse he suffered.
The tribunal learned that both of the man’s parents had died and he had no remaining family in Iraq. Additionally, he lacked identity documents that would be necessary for safe return to his home country. The panel also considered his diagnosis of complex post-traumatic stress disorder as a result of his experiences.
Deputy Judge Paul Lewis acknowledged the man’s original statement about making up reasons to stay but placed it in context of the circumstances surrounding the interview. The judge noted that the comment was made shortly after the grueling journey hidden in a lorry and during what the defense characterized as an oppressive interview process without proper safeguarding procedures.
The tribunal ultimately determined that despite the asylum seeker’s initial admission about lacking real reasons for coming to the UK, he could not be safely returned to Iraq due to the documented evidence of torture and his vulnerable circumstances. The judges granted him humanitarian protection, concluding that he was a genuine victim of ill-treatment who faced real danger if forced to return to his homeland.
Published: May 22, 2025 07:14 am