Albanian Zenel Beshi , with nearly 50 convictions, has won the right to remain in the United Kingdom, despite a deportation request from British authorities.
According to an immigration panel, Beshi has been sentenced in Italy to 6 years in prison for robbery, theft, and illegal imprisonment.
He failed to declare these convictions when he entered Britain, according to the British Home Office, which argued that he poses a "real, present and sufficient threat " to public safety and should be deported.
However, Judge Leonie Hirst of the High Immigration Court rejected the Home Office's request, ruling that Besh's crimes were not " extremely serious " enough to cause " deep public disgust ".
For this reason, she allowed him to remain in the United Kingdom.
The decision sparked a strong political backlash. Chris Philp, the opposition home secretary, criticized the judge as “out of touch with reality” and stressed that Beshi is “clearly a danger to the British public.”
“It is time for these judges to start protecting lawful British citizens and not foreign criminals,” Philp said.
“ All foreigners who have committed crimes in Britain or abroad should be deported, unconditionally. Our human rights to security should be respected, not the rights of criminals. If I become Home Secretary, that will change .”/ TheTelegraph