Mail Online

Crooks shun Covid test to avoid deportation

FOREIGN criminals are frustrating efforts to deport them from the UK by refusing to take Covid tests.

Many countries demand proof of a negative result before allowing entry, but Home Office officials cannot compel the criminals to take the tests.

Lucy Moreton, professional officer at the Immigration Services Union, said: ‘We have a real issue with criminals refusing to take tests at the moment.

‘A number of countries require negative tests and if people don’t want to comply, there’s very little we can do about that.

‘It’s an effective get-out-of-jailfree card.’

Many countries, i ncluding Pakistan, Jamaica, Nigeria and Ethiopia, require all arrivals to provide negative Covid tests before they are allowed in.

Last week, Home Secretary Priti Patel revealed that more than 900 foreign offenders had been deported this year.

In contrast, the figure was 6,171 in 2016 and has steadily fallen year-on-year.

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