Pakistani Sex Offender's UK Asylum Case to Be Reheard After Legal Oversight

A man convicted of sexual assault and living illegally in the UK for over a decade claimed asylum on the grounds of being gay, citing fear of persecution in Pakistan.

• A 53-year-old Pakistani man, identified as MR, was convicted of sexually assaulting a woman in 2017 after living illegally in the UK for 11 years.
• MR claimed asylum in the UK, arguing he was gay and would face persecution in Pakistan, where same-sex relationships are criminalized under sharia law.
• The Home Office initially rejected his claim due to insufficient evidence, but a legal error allowed him to win refugee status in a prior tribunal hearing.
• The Home Office successfully appealed the decision, with the Upper Tribunal ruling that the original hearing was procedurally unfair due to unchallenged testimony.
• A new tribunal hearing will determine whether MR can remain in the UK, revisiting evidence about his claimed sexuality and relationship.

3 Articles

The Telegraph The Times NDTV