UI2024000426

Although this appeal was initially on human rights grounds only, it now also raises protection grounds. For that reason, it is appropriate to grant anonymity to the Appellant.

Pursuant to rule 14 of the Tribunal Procedure (Upper Tribunal) Rules 2008, the Appellant is granted anonymity. No-one shall publish or reveal any information, including the name or address of the Appellant, likely to lead members of the public to identify the Appellant. Failure to comply with this order could amount to a contempt of court .

      The Appellant appeals against the decision of First-tier Tribunal Judge John Hillis promulgated on 20 November 2023 ("the Decision"), dismissing on protection and human rights grounds his appeal against the Respondent's decisions dated 21 September 2021 refusing his human rights claim and subsequent decision dated 31 March 2023 refusing his protection claim. The decisions were made in the context of a decision to deport the Appellant to South Africa on account of his criminal offending (offences of violence and drug possession with intent to supply).

      The Appellant is a national of South Africa. He came to the UK with his father and brother in 2005 (then aged nine years) to join his mother. He was granted indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in 2006. His parents both have ILR and continue to reside in the UK as does his brother.

      The Appellant was educated in the UK from the age of nine and worked here following completion of his education in unskilled work between 2011 and 2017. He was convicted of a number of violence and drug related offences between 2017 and 2020. He was sentenced to 26 months' imprisonment in April 2020 for an offence of grievous bodily harm (following which deportation action was begun) and a further 12 months in prison in September 2020 for the possession of Class A drugs with intent to supply.