The applicant had failed to comply with the Rules in not using the form prescribed for appliying for leave to appeal against a special adjudicator’s decision to the Immigration Appeal Tribunal. The application, by letter, included all the relevant information required by the prescribed form except. The difference was in the absence of a statement … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department Ex Parte Jeyeanthan; Ravichandran v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 21 May 1999
The application raised two issues: the Tribunal’s power to remit a case for rehearing by an adjudicator, and when an order made by a lone chairman of the Tribunal may be varied or set aside. The Tribunal only has the powers it is given. The two powers of remittal are not to be treated differently, … Continue reading Secretary of State for the Home Department v Immigration Appeal Tribunal: Admn 9 Apr 2001
(Australia) A claim to refugee status was made by a husband and wife who had come from China to Australia. They said that they feared sterilization under the ‘one child policy’ of China if they were returned. Held: There is a general principle that there can only be a ‘particular social group’ within the Convention … Continue reading A v Minister for Immigration and Ethnic Affairs and Another: 1997
Even the justified fears of being stoned to death for adultery did not create a particular separate group from which protection from persecution could be claimed in support of an application for asylum. A ‘social group’ for refugee applicants, had to share common uniting characteristic which set that group apart from rest of that society. … Continue reading Regina v Immigration Appeal Tribunal Secretary of State for Home Department ex parte Shah and Others: CA 23 Jul 1997
A wife, afraid with cause of being stoned to death for adultery if she returned home, was part of ‘a particular social group’ within the Convention, and was entitled to claim asylum. Commenting on the unique complexity of such cases: ‘Its adjudication is not a conventional lawyer’s exercise of applying a legal litmus test to … Continue reading Regina v Immigration Appeal Tribunal, Secretary of State for Home Department ex parte Shah: Admn 25 Oct 1996
The Home Secretary must reasonably conclude that a third country posed no real risk to a deportee’s safety; France is safe. Citations: Times 09-May-1997 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 2 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 06 November 2022; Ref: scu.87813
Criminality of Assisting Suicide not Infringing The court was asked: ‘whether the present state of the law of England and Wales relating to assisting suicide infringes the European Convention on Human Rights, and whether the code published by the Director of Public Prosecutions relating to prosecutions of those who are alleged to have assisted a … Continue reading Nicklinson and Another, Regina (on The Application of): SC 25 Jun 2014
The claimants, in the US awaiting execution for murders, challenged the permitting by the defendant for export of the chemical Sodium Thipental which would be used for their execution. The respondent said that its use in general anaesthesia practice meant that it was not subject to control. The claimants said that the export was a … Continue reading Zagorski and Baze, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills and Others: Admn 29 Nov 2010
The Court considered the procedures when a prisoner is kept in solitary confinement, otherwise described as ‘segregation’ or ‘removal from association’, and principally whether decisions to keep the appellants in segregation for substantial periods were taken lawfully. Held: The segregation was not authorised by the applicable legislation: ‘rule 45 . . (1) enables the governor … Continue reading Bourgass and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Justice: SC 29 Jul 2015
No power to detain illegal immigrant once political asylum claim is made. Citations: Independent 20-Jan-1995 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 6 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 23 July 2022; Ref: scu.86930
An appeal by the Home Secretary against a ruling that he had to use the same prescribed form as would be used by the asylum seeker. The use of a letter which omitted a substantial and important declaration was invalid. Lord Woolf MR made plain the court’s general reluctance to hold that the effect of … Continue reading Regina v Immigration Appeal Tribunal, ex Parte Jeyeanthan: Admn 3 Apr 1998
The expedited procedure brought in for asylum appeals from a country certified as unlikely to persecute political opponents, applies also to claimants who had made their claim for asylum before the Act came in. Citations: Times 03-Mar-1998 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 1 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 11 May 2022; Ref: … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department and Another, ex parte Chowdry: CA 3 Mar 1998
A Home Secretary’s exercise of the right to decide if a second asylum application was valid subject to judicial review. Citations: Times 13-May-1996 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 8 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 05 May 2022; Ref: scu.87902
An adjudication officer, finding that an appeal had been abandoned, was entitled accordingly to decide the matter without consideration of the facts. The absence of statutory authority was decisive in view of long standing practice. Rules not ultra vires Citations: Times 25-Sep-1998 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Act 1993, Asylum Appeals (Procedure) Rules 1996 (1996 No … Continue reading Regina v Immigration Appeal Tribunal Ex Parte Ali: QBD 25 Sep 1998
The claimants challenged the 2004 Order which prevented their return to their homes on the Chagos Islands. The islanders had been taken off the island to leave it for use as a US airbase. In 2004, the island was no longer needed, and payment had been made (ineffectively) to assist the dispossessed islanders, but an … Continue reading Bancoult, Regina (on the Application of) v Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (No 2): HL 22 Oct 2008
Power to call in is administrative in nature The powers of the Secretary of State to call in a planning application for his decision, and certain other planning powers, were essentially an administrative power, and not a judicial one, and therefore it was not a breach of the applicants’ rights to a fair hearing before … Continue reading Regina (Holding and Barnes plc) v Secretary of State for Environment Transport and the Regions; Regina (Alconbury Developments Ltd and Others) v Same and Others: HL 9 May 2001
The claimant sought damages for defamation. The council had decided that she had threatened a member of staff and notified various people, and entered her name on a violent persons register. She alleged malice, the council pleaded justification and qualified privilege. She also complained of the breach of her data protection rights. She had been … Continue reading Clift v Slough Borough Council and Another: QBD 6 Jul 2009
The defendants said that the stop and search powers granted under the 2000 Act were too wide, and infringed their human rights. Each had been stopped when innocently attending demonstrations in London, and had been effectively detained for about twenty minutes or more before being allowed to continue. An authorisation had been granted by an … Continue reading Gillan, Regina (on the Application of) v Commissioner of Police for the Metropolis and Another: HL 8 Mar 2006
The Attorney General appealed against a decision for the release under the Act and Regulations of letters from HRH The Prince of Wales to various ministers and government departments. Held: The appeal failed (Majority). The A-G had not been free to rely upon section 53 to issue a certificate avoiding the requirement to disclose the … Continue reading Evans and Another, Regina (on The Application of) v Attorney General: SC 26 Mar 2015
Application for judicial review of a decision of a Circuit Judge at the County Court, (a) refusing permission to appeal again the judgment of a Deputy District Judge following a trial of the claim for damages again the claimant under a hire purchase agreement and (b) determining that the District Judge’s decision was within the … Continue reading Ogunbiyi, Regina (on The Application of) v Southend County Court and Another: Admn 19 Mar 2015
The claimants said it would be wrong to return them to Zimbabwe where they would be able to evade persecution only by pretending to a loyalty to, and enthusiasm for the current regime. Held: The Secretary of State’s appeals failed. The HJ principle applied. It was wrong to require someone with no political beliefs to … Continue reading RT (Zimbabwe) and Others v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 25 Jul 2012
The deceased soldier died of heat exhaustion whilst on active service in Iraq. It was said that he was owed a duty under human rights laws, and that any coroner’s inquest should be a fuller one to satisfy the state’s duty under Article 2. Held: The SSD’s appeal succeeded. ‘jurisdiction’ within the meaning of Article … Continue reading Smith, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for Defence and Oxfordshire Assistant Deputy Coroner (Equality and Human Rights Commission intervening): SC 30 Jun 2010
The applicants had been imprisoned and held without trial, being suspected of international terrorism. No criminal charges were intended to be brought. They were foreigners and free to return home if they wished, but feared for their lives if they did. A British subject, who was suspected in the exact same way, and there were … Continue reading A v Secretary of State for the Home Department, and X v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 16 Dec 2004
Parties challenged the rule allowing the respondent to deny the right to enter or remain here to non EU citizens marrying a person settled and present here where either party was under the age of 21. The aim of the rule was to deter forced . .
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A second claim for asylum should be accepted after the first had been rejected if it was sufficiently different. Citations: Times 02-Apr-1996 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 1 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 31 October 2022; Ref: scu.87812
Asylum-seeker dependants right to claim not lost after asylum seeker’s claim had been dismissed. Citations: Times 02-Mar-1994 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 21 October 2022; Ref: scu.87985
It was wrong to say that an asylum seeker had the option of internal flight where, having once fled, he had been informed that he was being sought by the police and would be returned to the part where he had a well founded fear of persecution. Citations: Times 27-Jan-1999 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals … Continue reading Singh v Secretary of State for the Home Department: IHCS 27 Jan 1999
The applicant sought to resist an order for his return to Germany, the first country of call after escaping Kosovo. He asserted that Germany was not complying with its international obligations. He said the Gashi case had created a legitimate expectation that he would not be so returned, and that therefore his application for asylum … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department, ex parte Zeqiri: HL 24 Jan 2002
The claimant had come to England as a child from Italy. As an adult, he was convicted of a sexual assault against his daughter, and after release from his prison sentence of five years, he now appealed against a deportation order, saying that the respondent had failed to take account of the length of time … Continue reading B v Secretary of State for Home Department: CA 18 May 2000
The Secretary of State must state all the facts on which his opinion had based when ordering the deportation of an Asylum-seeker as to the safety of the destination country. ‘In a situation in which it is to be expected that most or all of the information about the asylum practices of third countries is … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Abdi, Same v Same, ex parte Gawe: QBD 24 Feb 1994
The applicant, a Nigerian, applied for judicial review of the respondent’s decision not to revoke a deportation order. He had overstayed his limited leave. He wanted the respondent to refer new material back to the immigration authorities. The respondent refused to treat this request as a new application. Held: A new ground for asylum arising … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department Ex Parte Ademola Onibiyo: QBD 24 Jan 1996
A failure to appear at an earlier appeal which was through no fault of the appellant, should not be used by the Secretary as an excuse to defeat an appeal under the section. The Secretary of State should not treat the section as a safety net or fall back. It was in fact a secondary … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department, Ex parte Yousaf Same v Same, Ex parte Jamil: CA 11 Jul 2000
Two Somali nationals were refused asylum and sought to challenge a decision rejecting their claim that to be sent to Spain would be contrary to the United Kingdom’s obligations under the Geneva Convention of 1951. Held: Adjudicators are experts in their field and are provided with a great deal of background information in relation to … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department Ex Parte Abdi, Same v Same, Ex Parte Gawe: HL 15 Feb 1996
It was not proper for counsel to raise at an appeal from the Immigration Appeal Tribunal, a point which had not been argued at the appeal tribunal with a suggestion that the case be remitted to the tribunal for a re-hearing. The argument that the applicant properly feared prosecution rather than persecution had not been … Continue reading Srimanoharan v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 29 Jun 2000
Special adjudicator had no power himself to decide if further representations supporting asylum application constituted new application. Citations: Times 25-Nov-1997, Gazette 19-Nov-1997 Statutes: Asylum and Immigration Appeals Act 1993 Jurisdiction: England and Wales Immigration Updated: 07 April 2022; Ref: scu.88101
More than one asylum claim may be made, but they must be sufficiently different to justify a second claim. The court considered when an application could be treated as having been finally determined and when it was necessary for the Secretary of State to consider afresh further representations that the applicant was entitled to refugee … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department Ex Parte Onibiyo: CA 28 Mar 1996
The appellant challenged the withdrawal of her benefits payments. She had applied for asylum, and been granted reduced rate income support. A decision was made refusing her claim, but that decision was, by policy, not communicated to her for several months, during which time her benefits were cancelled. Held: The result was to leave the … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Anufrijeva: HL 26 Jun 2003
The House considered the point of law: ‘If a defendant is charged with an offence not specified in section 31(3) of the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999, to what extent is he entitled to rely on the protections afforded by article 31 of the 1951 United Nations Convention Relating to the Status of Refugees?’ The … Continue reading Regina v Fregenet Asfaw: HL 21 May 2008
Whether the respondent has a well-founded fear of being persecuted ‘for reasons of membership of a particular social group’: ‘The basis of the claim for asylum was that he was being persecuted by criminals while working as a security officer in a . .
The issue on this appeal is the effect of section 55 on the legality of the appellant’s detention under paragraph 16 over a period of 13 days. At the time of the detention the Secretary of State acted in the mistaken but reasonable belief that he was aged over 18. It is now an agreed … Continue reading AA, Regina (on The Application of) v Secretary of State for The Home Department: SC 10 Jul 2013
The claimants had each been detained without trial for more than two years, being held as suspected terrorists. They were free leave to return to their own countries, but they feared for their lives if returned. They complained that the evidence used to justify their detention was derived from practices involving torture by the US … Continue reading A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, Mahmoud Abu Rideh Jamal Ajouaou v Secretary of State for the Home Department: CA 11 Aug 2004
The defendants had been convicted of not having an immigration document when presenting themselves for interview. They had handed their passports to the ‘agents’ who had assisted their entry. Held: The jury should have been directed as to the defence of reasonable excuse and otherwise. The statute had to be read so as to comply … Continue reading Regina v Fraydon Navabi; Senait Tekie Embaye: CACD 11 Nov 2005
The claimant was detained in a secure Mental Hospital. He complained at the seclusions policy applied by the hospital, saying that it departed from the Guidance issued for such policies by the Secretary of State under the Act. Held: The House allowed the Hospital’s appeal. The policy was lawful. Seclusion was to be seen as … Continue reading Regina v Ashworth Hospital Authority (Now Mersey Care National Health Service Trust) ex parte Munjaz: HL 13 Oct 2005
Reference to Parliamentary Papers behind Statute The inspector sought to tax the benefits in kind received by teachers at a private school in having their children educated at the school for free. Having agreed this was a taxable emolument, it was argued as to whether the taxable benefit was the cost to the employer, or … Continue reading Pepper (Inspector of Taxes) v Hart: HL 26 Nov 1992
Ban on Prisoners talking to Journalists unlawful The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without undertakings from the journalists not to publish any element of the interview. … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for The Home Department Ex Parte Simms: HL 8 Jul 1999
A prison policy requiring prisoners not to be present when their property was searched and their mail was examined was unlawful. The policy had been introduced after failures in search procedures where officers had been intimidated by the presence of prisoners. Particularly when examining documents subject to legal professional privilege, the rules did not allow … Continue reading Regina (Daly) v Secretary of State for the Home Department: HL 23 May 2001
The bank challenged measures taken by HM Treasury to restrict access to the United Kingdom’s financial markets by a major Iranian commercial bank, Bank Mellat, on the account of its alleged connection with Iran’s nuclear weapons and ballistic missile programmes. The bank sought to have the direction given under section 7 of the 2008 Act. … Continue reading Bank Mellat v Her Majesty’s Treasury (No 2): SC 19 Jun 2013
The respondent had made an order under the Regulations restricting all persons from dealing with the the claimant bank. The bank applied to have the order set aside. Though the defendant originally believed that the Iranian government owned 80% of the shares, the figure was 20% and soon to be reduced to 15%. It said … Continue reading Bank Mellat v HM Treasury: QBD 11 Jun 2010
The defendant was convicted under the 1994 Act of producing counterfeit CDs. He argued that the affixing of the name of the artist to the CD was not a trade mark use, and that the prosecution had first to establish a civil offence before his act could become criminal. The prosecutor appealed the decision of … Continue reading Regina v Johnstone: HL 22 May 2003
Proper Reply Opportunity Required on Deportation (Grand Chamber) The claimant was an Indian citizen who had been granted indefinite leave to remain in this country but whose activities as a Sikh separatist brought him to the notice of the authorities both in India and here. The Home Secretary of the day decided that he should … Continue reading Chahal v The United Kingdom: ECHR 15 Nov 1996
The applicants sought asylum, and, saying that they were children under eighteen, sought also the assistance of the local authority. Social workers judged them to be over eighteen and assistance was declined. Held: The claimants’ appeals succeeded. The actual age of a party is an objective question of fact, and as such was for the … Continue reading A, Regina (on the Application of) v London Borough of Croydon: SC 26 Nov 2009
The claimant resisted removal after failure of his claim for asylum, saying that this would have serious adverse consequences to his mental health, infringing his rights under article 8. He appealed the respondent’s certificate that his claim was manifestly unfounded. Held: Mental health was part of the respect for private life protected by article 8. … Continue reading Regina v Sectretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Razgar etc: HL 17 Jun 2004
The two prisoners, serving life sentences for murder, had had their appeals rejected. They continued to protest innocence, and sought to bring their campaigns to public attention through the press, having oral interviews with journalists without . .
References: [2004] UKHL 27, [2004] 3 WLR 58, Times 21-Jun-04, [2004] 2 AC 369, [2004] 3 All ER 821, [2004] INLR 349 Links: House of Lords, Bailii Coram: Lord Bingham of Cornhill, Lord Steyn, Lord Walker of Gestingthorpe, Baroness Hale of Richmond, Lord Carswell The claimant resisted removal after failure of his claim for asylum, … Continue reading Regina v Secretary of State for the Home Department ex parte Razgar etc: HL 17 Jun 2004
