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ITV News
09-07-2025
- Politics
- ITV News
Identity of man who quoted Shakespeare to prove British citizenship remains unknown
A man who claimed he swam from France to Jersey last year is now at risk of being left in legal limbo, according to an immigration lawyer. 'David Henry Law' was rescued from Rozel Bay in late September 2024, carrying nothing but €265 in cash, a contact lens case, and a pair of glasses. Whilst he claimed he was a 35-year-old British Citizen - and quoted Shakespeare passages in an effort to prove it - he had no formal identification with him and authorities were unable to verify his identity. In March, he was sentenced to 15 months in prison for knowingly entering Jersey without leave and seeking to obtain or secure the avoidance or postponement of enforcement action against him. Mr Law is up for release in September and during his trial, the Court recommended that he ultimately be deported. However, the island's Customs and Immigration Service say they have still been unable to confirm Mr Law's identity and nationality. This means there is no obvious legal pathway for deportation, as authorities do not know where to deport him to. According to Pierre Makhlouf - an immigration lawyer and Director of campaign group Bail for Immigration Detainees - Mr Law is therefore caught in a "highly unusual" legal knot. If the island were to detain Mr Law beyond the length of his sentence, they would risk breaching European human rights legislation. However, without verifying his nationality, Mr Law will be effectively stateless upon release from La Moye Prison - and therefore unable to work or apply for housing. Because he claims he is a British Citizen, he is also not eligible to claim asylum. Mr Makhlouf says this presents a difficult challenge for Jersey's authorities once the prison sentence ends, adding: "On a legal level, they're holding him in detention, so the first step is they would need to make a decision as to whether or not they would continue to detain him unlawfully. "If they can't, they're going to have to release him. "In the UK, there are specific facilities and arrangements that can be put into place to assist someone who would otherwise be homeless. "That includes asylum seekers but also other people facing removal who cannot be removed - what you have to bear in mind is if someone is placed on the streets, that is a potential breach of their human rights. "In the end, you have to support them, it's a basic level of the treatment of people that we would all expect." Speaking about the predicament, Jersey Customs and Immigration Service says it "will consider whether further action is appropriate when he is released, but will not provide comment on what will happen at the end of an individual's sentence." They add: "Enquiries remain ongoing to establish Mr Law's nationality and identity." Want the inside track on the key issues that will shape Guernsey's Election this June? Listen to Guernsey Votes, an ITV Channel podcast packed with expert guests, local insight and analysis you can trust...
BBC News
01-05-2025
- BBC News
Jersey children forced to receive parcels of drugs hidden in toys
Children as young as 12 were threatened and manipulated to help distribute drugs across Jersey, the island's Royal Court court was told the children were part of a network that sent £1.8m worth of drugs hidden inside teddies and other toys in the people have been sentenced to youth detention for importing and supplying drugs, including cannabis and MDMA, to Jersey from the McManus, 20, received a three-year sentence, Joseph Barratt, 20, two years and six months, Monica Nobrega, 20, two years and Rory Ribeiro, 19, was given two years. A fifth defendant, 20-year-old Malibu Brennan, was sentenced to 100 hours of community service for possession of criminal property. The court heard the drugs were hidden inside cuddly toys such as teddy bears and a karaoke speaker and were sent to the island between January and July children were bribed with rewards but also threatened if they stopped sentence, Deputy Bailiff Robert MacRea described the drug ring as a sophisticated operation involved in the importation and distribution of Class A and B prosecution follows Operation Java, a joint police and drugs investigation, which also led to the conviction of 32 year-old Mohammed Babrul Hussain, from Birmingham, in Jersey last was sentenced by the Royal Court to seven years and six months in prison after pleading guilty to offences linked to the importation of MDMA and cannabis into Jersey via the post. 'Threats of violence' States of Jersey Police said Hussain had links to the island which he used to ensnare children and young people into his drug distribution Insp Kate Young said the tactics used to control the children ranged from gifts to threats. "There was initially offers of reward," she said. "It could be low value items, free amounts of drugs or it could be high value items such as designer clothing etc. "That manipulation then increased to threats of violence as they became more involved.""The young people that were used in this operation were basically used as mules," she added. Acting Insp Young said police worked with a range of on-island organisations, including the Customs and Immigration Service, the Youth Service, Education and the Children and the Young People, Education and Skills Department (CYPES) which were able to establish a link between parcels coming into Jersey through the post and delivery to young different groups involved were able to use the information they gathered to identify operations in the West Midlands, Lancashire and London were responsible for sending the packages to Jersey. Rolex watches seized She said drugs worth between £128,000 and £183,000 were seized, including cannabis, cannabis resin, cocaine, ketamine and items seized included £40,000 in cash and two Rolex watches valued at £30, Insp Young said social media apps including Snap Chat and Telegram channels were used by the network."I think what this case highlighted is how easy it can be and the fact that it is so easy means that any young person is at risk," she police said money from the sale of drugs was deposited in Jersey banks to be paid into UK bank accounts. Cash was also used to buy high value items including Rolex watches that could then be easily taken off island. 'Notice the signs' Acting Insp Young said: "This can happen to anyone's young person."These were not young people that we dealt with every day."She said she wanted parents to "recognise some of the early signs" that children could be being manipulated by drug gangs:A drop in school attendanceNew phone or more than one phoneLeaving the house late at nightMoney that they cannot explainNew clothesHigh value itemsInjuries that they cannot explainShe said 43 children in Jersey were being protected by the police, rather than prosecuted, to stop them from being exploited further.
