Foreign criminals 'will now be deported before they can appeal sentence'

Daily Mail​

a day ago

Foreign criminals across nearly two dozen countries will be unable to delay their deportation by appealing the decision under a new 'deport now, appeal later' initiative.
The proposed change, soon to be set out by ministers, will see foreign citizens from countries such as Uganda, India and Kenya no longer able to remain in the UK as they attempt to oppose the decision, the Times has reported.
Any appeal hearings will now take place remotely, following diplomatic deals agreed with 23 countries, it has been said.
Ministers have argued that the new policy will ensure foreign criminals no longer 'game the system' to delay their deportation.
It follows the Ministry of Justice's recent proposal that foreign criminals can now be deported as soon as they are sent to prison, rather than serving half of their sentence.
The most violent criminals - including those imprisoned for murder or terrorist convictions, or serving a life sentence, are set to be excluded from the hardline proposal.
Announcing the proposal on August 10, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood told the Sun on Sunday: 'My message to foreign criminals is clear: "Break Britain's laws and you'll be sent packing in record time.".
'These new powers mean removal and bans from our shores - keeping victims and the public safe.
'This will ramp up removals of foreign offenders jamming up our jails, with deportations already up 14 per cent on the same time last year.'
It comes as Labour struggles to get a grip on the number of migrant crooks - including rapists, paedophiles and murderers - swarming into Britain illegally.
Violent protests have erupted outside asylum seeker hotels across the UK as fury builds over the number of foreign residents allegedly carrying out crimes while living in them.
The new scheme could reportedly save taxpayers almost £600million and see an expected 3,000 foreign offenders deported earlier, according to a government source.
However, Alex Chalk KC, former justice secretary, told the Times he had 'real misgivings' about the decision, arguing that the policy would result in prisoners being 'released with no punishment' and placed under a 'tax-payer funded flight home'.
He also questioned why other criminals convicted for severe crimes, such as rapists and domestic abusers, were being considered for deportation.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said that the decision marked an end to individuals 'manipulating the system' in month or even year-long appeals.
Meanwhile, David Lammy, foreign secretary, added that the government were 'leading diplomatic efforts to increase the number of countries where foreign criminals can be swiftly returned'.
He added that those wishing to appeal would be able to do so from their home country in a bid to increase the UK's safety and security.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick previously criticised the government's plans, arguing that it could fail if jailed crooks try to use human rights laws to dodge deportation.
Mr Jenrick told the Mail: 'In Starmer's topsy turvy world investors are fleeing the country in their droves while record numbers of violent and sexual offenders from abroad are put up in our prisons. It's a farce.
'Yet again Starmer has refused to confront our broken human rights laws. He needs to grow a backbone and change them so we can actually deport these individuals. The safety of the British public is infinitely more important than the "rights" of sick foreign criminals.
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick previously told the Mail: 'In Starmer's topsy turvy world investors are fleeing the country in their droves while record numbers of violent and sexual offenders from abroad are put up in our prisons. It's a farce'
'If countries won't take back their nationals, Starmer should suspend visas and foreign aid. His soft-touch approach isn't working.'
As of June 30, 2025, there were 10,772 foreign nationals in custody, data from the Ministry of Justice showed. This included 1,731 in jail for sexual offences.
The number of overseas criminals now behind bars in England and Wales is higher now than at any point since 2013.
The Conservatives say the number of foreign sex offenders in prison has increased by 9.9 per cent in Labour's first year in office.
Meanwhile, the number of foreign crooks behind bars for violence has skyrocketed by 8.8 per cent in Labour's first year in office - with 3,250 now locked up.