Foreign criminal deportation rates hit record low as Home Office fights off challenges

The rates of dangerous foreign criminals being deported has fallen to a record low at the same time as the number of such criminals being released from prison reaches a new high, reports state. According to the Home Office, the amount of Category A highest-harm foreign criminals and immigration offenders deported in the last year dropped 18 percent to 885.

Category A offences includes crimes such as murder, rape, sex offences and drug dealing.

The Home Office first began compiling records of the figures in 2013, when the number stood at 2,205 before reaching its peak of 2,555 in 2016.

Official records have also revealed that a record high of almost 12,000 foreign criminals were released this year, with 11,769 foreign national offenders who had been released but not deported at the end of September.

This marks a rise of more than 800 in a year, with the number being less than 4,000 ten years ago.

All are subject to deportation because they were given prison sentences of at least 12 months, however, they have argued their case successfully for a right to life in Britain in court.

The Government has made some attempts to deport foreign criminals through removal flights, however, just seven out of 112 were onboard a flight to Jamaica earlier this year.

Some legal challenges have been mounted by human rights groups, which the Home Office has dismissed as “meritless”.

READ MORE: Tory MPs urge Sunak to change slavery law to ease small boats crisis

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is proposing to use his British Bill of Rights to fight back against such challenges under Article Eight of the ECHR.

This Article demonstrates the right to a family or private life and is used successfully in about seven out of 10 claims against deportation.

The new Bill will give ministers the power to curb the circumstances in which offenders’ right to a family life would outweigh public safety concerns.

A criminal would have to prove a child or dependant would come to “overwhelming, unavoidable harm” if they were deported.

Express.co.uk has reached out to the Home Office for comment.