Judge raps Home Office over carer

A senior judge criticised the Home Office this week for being
“insensitive” in the case of a Moroccan man who was caring for his
disabled brother-in-law and his brother-in-law’s two daughters.

Last April, the Home Office refused him permanent leave to
remain in the UK. Justice Collins said the Home Office had not
dealt with the case in “as sympathetic a manner” as it should have
done.

Last June, Devon Council’s social services department wrote to
the Home Office explaining the predicament faced by the family and
the need for their relative to remain but the decision was not
changed.

The court heard this week that if the man was forced to leave,
the Okehampton family could be broken up and placed in care as
social services would be unable to provide intensive 24-hour
support in the father’s home.

The man has now been granted rights of residence until July
2007.