Cleverly orders immediate review of alleged chemical attack by refugee sex offender
The Home Secretary has ordered an immediate review of a refugee sex offender’s alleged chemical attack on a mother and her daughters.
James Cleverly has asked for a detailed overview of all aspects of the case and could consider whether legislation or operational changes are needed to prevent a repeat after the alleged attacker was granted asylum following two failed attempts and a criminal conviction.
Abdul Ezedi, 35, from the Newcastle area, is still on the run after a suspected alkali attack on a 31-year-old woman, believed to be known to the alleged attacker, who was with her daughters, aged three and eight. All three remain in hospital.
It is understood Ezedi, who is reportedly from Afghanistan, was convicted of a sexual offence in 2018 and given a suspended sentence at Newcastle Crown Court on 9 January of that year after pleading guilty to one charge of sexual assault and one of exposure.
After he was initially refused asylum having reportedly travelled to the UK on a lorry in 2016, Ezedi converted to Christianity but was again refused the right to stay in the country, i was told.
He was eventually successful on the third attempt, with the Telegraph reporting that he was allowed to stay in the country after a priest confirmed he had converted to Christianity and was “wholly committed” to his new religion
Ezedi was not eligible for automatic deportation after his sex offences because his suspended sentence was less than a year.
He is still being hunted having last been seen at a supermarket in north London on Wednesday evening.
The case has prompted an outcry among senior Conservative MPs.
Former immigration minister Robert Jenrick, who quit in January because he thought the Prime Minister had failed to get tough enough on asylum, had earlier called for a “detailed review” of how Ezedi was allowed to remain in the UK.
He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It appears from what little we know of this case, that this is an individual whose asylum or humanitarian protection in the UK was granted by a tribunal, so probably by a judge rather than Home Office officials, despite the fact that he had been convicted of a sexual offence and on the basis of evidence which, we shall have to see, may well be spurious or insubstantial, such as this suggestion that he had converted to Christianity.”
Former home secretary Suella Braverman, who was sacked by Rishi Sunak in November, said Ezedi’s immigration history showed the UK needs to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
She said: “Spurious claims based on religion are commonplace in our asylum system. The bar is low, it’s easy to game the system and it happens.
“The Refugee Convention, the ECHR & the HRA [Human Rights Act] prevent us from deporting convicted criminals because the privileges these agreements now give them trump the fundamental rights of British people to live in a safe country.
“This is a national security emergency and realistic, hard headed measures are needed if we are to control our borders and keep the British people safe.
“Failing to act isn’t humane, it’s irresponsible and a betrayal of these criminals’ victims.”
Downing Street said the Prime Minister was confident in the UK’s asylum system as the Illegal Migration Act and related laws around the Rwanda deportation scheme amount to “strongest legislation ever introduced, and we’re very confident it will ensure people who arrive here illegally will not be able to claim asylum here”.
The activation of the laws, however, currently hinges on the Government getting its controversial Rwanda policy up and running after it was ruled unlawful by the Supreme Court.
“The PM is clear that we don’t want dangerous foreign criminals to be able to stay in the country and be putting the public at risk,” Mr Sunak’s official spokesman said.
The Metropolitan Police have released an image of Ezedi’s last-known sighting, placing him in a Tesco Express shop on Caledonian Road, north London, at 8.48pm on Wednesday.
Superintendent Gabriel Cameron said: “The image is taken from the Tesco store, where Ezedi is believed to have purchased a bottle of water. He left the shop and turned right.
“The image shows Ezedi with what appears to be significant injuries to the right side of his face. This makes him distinctive.
“If you see Ezedi, call 999 immediately. He should not be approached.”
Scotland Yard is working in collaboration with officers in Northumbria as Ezedi, who may have been known to police, “could be going back” to Newcastle.
Ezedi is believed to have travelled down from the North East on the day of the attack, but detectives are unsure what led to the incident.
Mr Cleverly, who described the attack as “appalling”, said: “My thoughts are with them [the victims] and the brave members of the public and police who intervened.
“I urge the public to support the Metropolitan Police’s appeal and to come forward if they have any information.”
In November 2021, Iraqi-born Emad Al Swealmeen, 32, died from a blast and subsequent fire after his homemade bomb detonated in a taxi outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital.
He went to considerable lengths to stay in the UK, including converting to Christianity to support his failed asylum claim.
This story has been updated.
