More than 100,000 people have signed a petition to stop the deportation of Osime Brown, a 21 years old autistic man from Dudley in the West Midlands.
After widespread media pressure, Brown was released from prison on Wednesday and returned to his family’s home. But the deportation order still remains.
In 2018, Brown was imprisoned over the theft of a phone in a street robbery – which his family think was a false conviction. Brown now faces being deported to Jamaica, a country he left at the age of four and has no connection.
Clik here to view.
Osime was diagnosed with autism in 2016 – he was convicted at Wolverhampton Crown Court of robbery, attempted robbery and perverting the course of justice. And later sentenced to five years’ detention.
Joan Martin, Brown’s mother, told the BBC that even if she’s happy that he’s coming home, she’s still worried that her son will be deported.
“We still have to fight. He knows nothing about Jamaica. He has no connection, no links there. My extended family is in America and Canada.”
The 21 year old suffers from a heart condition, having to go through two operations which resulted in a recording device being placed into his heart.
A Home Office spokesperson told Birmingham Eastside:
“We only ever return those who we and, where applicable, the courts are satisfied do not need our protection and have no legal basis to remain in the UK.”
“It would be inappropriate to comment further while legal proceedings are ongoing,” the Home Office added.
The petition is still running and no date for deportation has been set. The campaigners are still hoping to gain support – through signing and sharing the petition, writing to the Dudley North MP Marco Longhi and using #FreeOsimeBrown #JusticeForOsimeBrown on social media.