A Jamaican-born criminal who opened fire during a shootout on a busy street was stopped from being deported after a mutiny took place on a British Airways flight.
Lawrence Morgan, was saved from being forcefully removed from the UK country by a protest led by passengers on his flight in November.
The mutiny was led by Cambridge graduate Hannah Gaffery, who encouraged other passengers to refuse to take their seats before take-off, in an attempt to thwart the deportation.
Passengers protested the “injustice” of his removal, despite not reportedly not knowing the reason for his removal.
Lawrence Morgan was saved from being forcefully removed from the UK country by a protest led by passengers on his flight
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James Cleverly slammed the “do-gooders” who attempted to block the deportation of foreign criminals.
He told The Mail on Sunday: “The vast majority of the British people think convicted, violent thugs should be deported.
“My mission is to keep the British people safe. We must be able to remove offenders from our country without interference from misguided and ill-informed do-gooders.”
The 27-year-old moved to the UK as a child on a visitor visa, before receiving a European Economic Area (EEA) permit as the dependent of an EU national in 2009.
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James Cleverly slammed the “do-gooders” who staged the mutiny
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After a series of crimes including possession of a firearm and supplying illegal drugs, which saw Morgan jailed for five years, the Home Office launched proceedings to deport the Jamaican-born man from the UK in 2018.
However, their attempts have been thwarted by numerous human rights challenges from his lawyers.
He was jailed again in 2021 for opening fire on a busy street in Lozells, Birmingham, which saw his friend shot dead.
A judge later said that it was “only by luck” that no civilians were hit in the crossfire between Morgan and a rival gang.
Last year, the Home Office told Morgan, who they classified as a “very high harm” foreign offender, that he was to be deported.
Passengers protested the “injustice” of his removal, despite not reportedly not knowing the reason for his removal
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His lawyers challenged this by stating his life could be in danger from Jamaican criminal gangs in prison.
He also claimed a “right to family life” under the European Convention on Human Rights because he had fathered a child here.
However, Home Office officials opposed his appeals and he was finally escorted on a Boeing 777 British Airways flight to Kingston, Jamaica.
After the successful mutiny led by passengers, Morgan was taken to a detention centre. He is still believed to be in the UK.
Former Home Secretary Priti Patel said last night: “Foreign national offenders are deported from our country because they have committed serious offences, are dangerous and violent. Our streets are safer without them being here and the overwhelming majority of the public support their removal.
“Those who intervene to try to stop these criminals being removed are putting the public at risk and they should face consequences for their ill-advised actions.”
