Judge who controversially allowed knife-wielding drug dealer to stay in UK was on pro-asylum charity board
MIGRANT 'NO THREAT' Judge who controversially allowed knife-wielding drug dealer to stay in UK was on pro-asylum charity board
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window)
Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
A JUDGE who controversially allowed a knife-wielding drug dealer to stay in the UK was on the board of a pro-asylum charity.
Fiona Beach declared Christian Quadjovie, 26, was not a threat to the public.
Sign up for Scottish Sun
newsletter
Sign up
The French-born crook had been locked up for a total of 963 days since arriving here aged ten in 2009.
But he was granted a reprieve by Judge Beach, an ex-director at Asylum Aid who represented migrants for free on behalf of the Bail for Immigration Detainees charity.
The decision has since been overturned after Government lawyers claimed her judgment was 'made against the weight of evidence'.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick said Judge Beach's apparent conflict of interest 'undermines confidence' in the courts.
He added: 'This is the latest example of an immigration judge with open borders views.
'The similarity between her decisions and the political views she has broadcast totally undermines confidence in the system. Judges must be independent.'
Last night, in a letter seen by The Sun on Sunday, Mr Jenrick made a formal request to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office to probe whether Judge Beach, 54, had declared her previous roles.
In 2005 and 2007, she was listed in a 'thank you' section of the Bail in Immigration annual report, and named as a barrister volunteering to represent its clients in court.
Records show she was a director of Asylum Aid between September 2004 and February 2007.
Judicial sources insisted she stepped back from the group in December 2006 when appointed as a part-time judge.
Sun probe uncovers asylum seekers in hotels linked to string of rape cases
In 2018 she was made a salaried tribunal judge. She first heard Quadjovie's case in April 2024.
He was first convicted as a boy of 12 after sexually assaulting a girl under 13.
In 2016, he was given a nine-month referral order for carrying a knife in public.
Later that year, he was convicted of drug offences. He was detained for 30 months and caught with more drugs after his release.
The Home Office tried to deport him but he argued he would not be able to reintegrate in France.
A judiciary spokesman said all judges took an oath to remain impartial.
He added: 'In each case, judges make decisions based on the evidence and arguments presented, and apply the law as it stands.'
1
A judge declared Christian Quadjovie was not a threat to the public
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Herald Scotland
10 minutes ago
- The Herald Scotland
Ukraine needs long-term security guarantees, Taoiseach says
The call was convened by Sir Keir Starmer, French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz. I welcomed the opportunity to join other European leaders today to discuss developments on ending the war in Ukraine. We had a very useful engagement with President Zelenskyy as he prepares to meet with President Trump tomorrow in Washington. — Micheál Martin (@MichealMartinTD) August 17, 2025 On Monday, Volodymyr Zelensky is meeting Donald Trump with several EU leaders, including Sir Keir, also travelling to Washington DC in a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian president. Mr Martin, who will not be in Washington, said he had assured Mr Zelensky on Sunday that Ireland will 'continue to steadfastly support Ukraine'. EU leaders have agreed that sanctions and wider economic measures 'will be reinforced' if Russia continues its military action. The Taoiseach also said that he believes Ukraine needs 'long-term security guarantees'. Donald Trump, right, shakes the hand of Russia's President Vladimir Putin during a joint press conference in Alaska following their talks over Ukraine (Jae C Hong/AP) Speaking after Sunday's online conference, Mr Martin said: 'I welcomed the opportunity to join other European leaders today to discuss developments on ending the war in Ukraine. 'We had a very useful engagement with President Zelensky as he prepares to meet with President Trump tomorrow in Washington. 'I welcome the initiative by President Trump to seek the ending of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine. Ireland, together with our European partners, continues to contribute to these efforts to achieve a just and lasting peace for Ukraine.' The meeting of European leaders follows the US president's summit with Russian leader Vladimir Putin in Alaska on Friday. Mr Martin said it is 'essential that Ukraine is a full participant' in any discussions regarding its future. He said: 'I therefore welcome that President Zelensky will meet with President Trump in Washington tomorrow, together with other European leaders. Mr Martin said he stressed that international law and principles of independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity need to be respected for security in the region. 'It will be up to Ukraine to make decisions on its territory. International borders must not be changed by force. 'I fully agree that Ukraine needs strong, credible, long-term security guarantees. This will mean sustained support from Europe, the United States and other partners. 'Ireland stands ready to play our part. Earlier this year we committed to providing non-lethal military support to Ukraine and we will look to do more. 'At today's meeting, I also reiterated Ireland's readiness to contribute to any peacekeeping force that is in line with the UN Charter.' French President Emmanuel Macron attending the video conference with European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen and Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky (Philippe Magoni/AP) The Taoiseach said Ireland will also continue to support Ukraine's EU membership ambitions, adding that Russia 'cannot have a veto' on the matter. 'Our joint efforts for peace should be combined with firm and co-ordinated pressure on Russia to agree to a ceasefire and engage seriously with negotiations on a just and lasting peace. 'We agreed today that sanctions and wider economic measures will be reinforced if Russia does not stop the killing. 'The human dimension and accountability must also be at the centre of a just and lasting peace for Ukraine. 'Russia must urgently return Ukrainian children who they have abducted as well as prisoners of war and civilians being held unlawfully.'
Telegraph
11 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Judge who let knife-wielding migrant stay in UK was on asylum seeker charity board
A judge who allowed a migrant convicted for drug dealing and sexual assault to stay in the UK is a former executive of a pro-asylum charity, it has been revealed. Judge Fiona Beach ruled that Christian Quadjovie was not a threat to the British public at a hearing last year. French-born Quadjovie has spent a total of 963 days behind bars in UK prisons since arriving in Britain at the age of 10. Quadjovie, who was set to be deported, was granted a reprieve by Judge Beach, an ex-director at Asylum Aid who represented migrants for free on behalf of the Bail for Immigration Detainees charity. The decision has since been overturned after government lawyers claimed her judgment was 'made against the weight of evidence'. Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary, said Judge Beach's apparent conflict of interest 'undermines confidence' in the courts. 'Judges must be independent' He added: 'This is the latest example of an immigration judge with open borders views. 'The similarity between her decisions and the political views she has broadcast totally undermines confidence in the system. Judges must be independent.' Records show Judge Beach was a director of Asylum Aid between September 2004 and February 2007. She is understood to have stepped back from the group in December 2006 when appointed as a part-time judge. Quadjovie's case was first brought before her in April 2024. He was first convicted as a boy of 12 for sexually assaulting a girl under 13. In 2016, he was given a nine-month referral order for carrying a knife in public. Later that year, he was convicted of drug offences. He was detained for 30 months and caught with more drugs after his release. The Home Office tried to deport him, but he argued that he would not be able to reintegrate in France. Judge Beach's stated in the tribunal decision: 'The appellant had some support in the UK in the form of family support, potential access to education and public funds and access to housing assistance, yet found himself involved with gangs and drug dealing. 'The concern would be whether the appellant would slip back into the same way of earning money which he did in the UK, i.e. drug dealing. 'There is a real risk that this would occur again as a young man in France with few ties, no accommodation, no qualifications other than a GCSE in French and no employment experience on which to rely.' 'Not a serious threat to public security' The decision concluded: 'Taking account of all the evidence, I find that the evidence does not show that the appellant is a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat to public policy or public security.' However, in October, Home Office lawyers said Ms Beach's judgment was made 'against the weight of evidence' and has since been overturned. A spokesman for the judiciary said: 'In each case, judges make decisions based on the evidence and arguments presented, and apply the law as it stands.' In a letter, seen by the Sun on Sunday, Mr Jenrick made a formal request to the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office to probe whether Judge Beach had declared her previous roles. In an interview with The Telegraph last week, Mr Jenrick said it was time to sack what he called 'activist' judges. He said: 'If judges want to enter the political sphere themselves, then they should stop being judges and go into politics. 'We have to have a situation where judges who act politically and bring their own personal politics into their job as a judge are held to account and frankly, can be removed.'
Metro
40 minutes ago
- Metro
Adult-only hotels that ban children 'like dogs' could be made illegal in France
Children cannonballing into pools, running through the lobby and spaghetti on the floor in the restaurant. This is the kind of youthful chaos that a growing number of adults are keen to avoid while going on holiday – Metro readers included. Yet French politicians are looking at ending grown-up escapes as venues treat children as 'troublesome pests'. Should adult-only hotels be banned, or should adults be able to book time away from youngsters? Email us at: webnews@ Former French families minister Laurence Rossignol was quoted by The Guardian as saying: 'We can't organise society by separating children off from ourselves in the same way some establishments don't take dogs.' The Oise senator has proposed a bill to make it illegal to ban children from venues by considering it age discrimination under the Penal Code. These child-free spaces, according to Rossignol, amount to 'organising society around people's intolerance of others'. They 'allow people to say, 'I don't like children and I don't want to see them',' she said. 'And that is not acceptable, because to not like children is to not like humanity itself.' Our readers aren't so sure about that. Gid Eon told us: 'Surely that's also a form of discrimination. Discriminatory for those who don't want to be around a load of screaming kids?' Bliss Natasha added: 'People who choose not to have children should be able to go on holiday and have some peace.' Arwen Carol, a part-time supply teacher, said not wanting to be around children isn't discrimination, it's wanting to relax. 'There's plenty of spaces that cater really well for families with kids and there's space for both without turning it into an issue,' she commented. It's not just Rossingnol mourning the loss of the hotels with kids' clubs, teen zones with pool tables and face-painting sessions. Sarah El Haïry, the French government's high commissioner for childhood, believes excluding families from accommodation is 'real violence'. Haïry has launched a 'Family Choice' campaign for parents to recommend businesses that offer child-friendly prices, events and facilities. 'A child shouts, laughs and moves… we are institutionalising the idea that silence is a luxury and the absence of children is a luxury,' she told the broadcaster RTL. Adult-only holidays are nothing new, being popular since the 1970s in hotspots like Greece, Thailand and the US. Adverts for these child-free hotels, cruises and camps often feature smiling adults clinking glasses of wine in complete and utter silence. An Expedia survey in 2023 found that guests at these resorts were 63% more likely to rate their time as 'exceptional' compared to those at mixed-age resorts. Some Metro readers, including parents and guardians of children, said they'd even be willing to pay extra for a child-free hotel, flight or cinema. They described how it's not so much children not being on the premises that they're willing to pay for, but it's not being around childish behaviour. Shannon Baird said: 'As a mother of two, no, I don't think they should be banned. Not everyone wants to deal with our kids screaming and running around playing all the time.' Alex Doody wrote that, if he's paying thousands of pounds for a holiday, he expects a certain level of service. 'That level of service cannot be achieved if there are packs of 'free-range' kids running around unchecked, creating mayhem and iPad kids having a meltdown every time they're parted from Minecraft for two seconds,' he said. Thomas Pennington said that a simple reason why adult-only venues shouldn't be banned is that 'not everyone wants kids'. One in 10 French people say they don't want children, more than twice the number from 2005. As fewer French people have children, researchers estimate that up to 5% of the holiday market in France is adult-only. Hotels like Saint-Delis in Honfleur in Normandy promise 'peaceful' experiences away from youth, while Camp Laurent in the sunflower fields of Poitou-Charentes brands itself as 'exclusively for adults'. French tour operators like Fram and Kuoni are also catering more to 'adult-only' holiday experiences. More Trending No family in France has ever taken legal action against a venue for hanging a sign reading 'no children', according to French legal experts. Article 225-1 says people who discriminate against someone 'based on age or family status' face three years in prison and €45,000 (£39,000) fine. As much as the majority of Metro readers disagreed with the idea of banning child-free hotels, Sue Dudley said she feels differently. 'Each to their own,' she commented, 'but I find adult-only very boring.' Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Virgin orders 12 new high-speed trains in biggest challenge to Eurostar yet MORE: Manchester Airport flights grounded after easyJet planes 'clip wings' on runway MORE: Four bodies pulled from the same spot in the River Seine in Paris
