Angela still here (posted 08/08/06)

Angela Patterson was escorted to Heathrow airport on Monday escorted by 4 guards and a medical attendant. They sat on the perimeter of the airport for two hours before returning to Colnbrook IRC. The removal was stayed by last minute action in the courts. Angela's eye is still badly swollen and is now showing signs of infection.

Angela Patterson

Back in the Wars

It has been exactly one year since Angela had been taken into detention and the fight to save her life commenced. Some of you will remember (Bulletin: Save Angela Maria Patterson 31/10/2005) that she was blinded and shot in Jamaica, attacked in Birmingham and assaulted at Heathrow airport when she resisted removal.

A battle with the Home Office resulted in Angela being released from detention on Friday 23rd December 2005 and a fresh asylum claim accepted.

On Tuesday morning, 1st August 2006, she awoke in a wonderful mood. She had an appointment at Dudley Road Eye Centre for a consultant to examine her damaged eye. At the hospital it was decided to operate on the eye to remove some flesh that was tethering the eye to the eye socket. This needed an overnight stay and the police were informed that she would be late for her noon signing appointment on Wednesday 2nd August.

She was discharged from hospital at about 5.00 pm on Wednesday. Her face was swollen and her eye discharging and sticky. The operation had resulted in a plastic shield being inserted over the eye that has to be removed on Monday 7th August, when a date would be set for a second operation.

She was collected from the hospital, taken for a small meal, and transported to Telford Malinsgate Police Station for her weekly signing.

She arrived about 6.30pm was immediately captured, served with a notice that her fresh asylum claim had been refused and also served with removal directions for Monday the 7th August. The refusal notice was dated the 21st July 2006 and immigration officials at the police station said it had probably not been sent to her solicitors.

So the campaign is back in action, twice airlines have refused to carry Angela as they were of the opinion that Angela was medically unfit to travel the third time Angela resisted.

All the background information can be found @
http://www.ncadc.org.uk/archives/filed%20newszines/newszine%2064/angela%20patterson.htm

What you can do to help
Friends of Angela Patterson in Birmingham are organising a fax campaign to try and persuade Liam Byrne the Immigration Minister to change his mind about removing Angela, you can download the model letter AngelaPattersonML.doc, (copy/amend/write your own version).
Fax No: 020 7035 4745 from outside the UK + 20 7035 4745

Please notify the campaign of any faxes sent:
saveangela@supanet.com

Inquiries/further information:
saveangela@supanet.com
jcatley@supanet.com
Save Angela Maria Patterson
NCADC
110 Hamstead Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 2QS

(Angela is still in Yarl's Wood removal centre18/11/05)

Angela was born on 13th July 1966 in Jamaica. According to the Home Office, Angela claims that in 1992 she was attacked by a women who sprayed acid in her eye this woman was part of a gang. Angela reported the incident to the police but they did not investigate the attack. After having been to the police she was shot in the leg by another member of the same gang and fearing for her life went into hiding for 10 years.

Constantly living in fear Angela decided to leave Jamaica and it was no easy choice as she has nine children living there. Her family managed to save enough money for her to fly to England. She arrived at Heathrow on 9th February 2002, after questioning by the Immigration Service she was 'refused entry'. However there was no return flight available and she was given 5 days 'temporary admission' and that she should return in five days to be flown back to Jamaica. Angela failed to return and was deemed an absconder by the Immigration Service.

(This picture of Angela was taken on the 12th of August)

Angela felt she had the choice of returning to Jamaica to be killed or staying in England as an illegal immigrant. Angela chose to remain in the UK and at that time did not claim asylum, as the concept was unknown to her. She found employment in London and them moved to Birmingham, where again she found steady employment.

On Sunday July 31st 2005 Angela was involved in an altercation in Birmingham where she alleges another women hit her in the face with a bottle. The police turned up and both women were taken to the local police station. The police ran their normal background check and found Angela was on list of people immigration had an interest in and she was detained as an immigration defaulter.

The following day Monday the 1st of August she was collected from Thornhill Road police station by immigration officials and taken to Heathrow airport for removal. (At this stage Angela claimed asylum, Angela alleges immigration officials just laughed at her and did not accept the claim.) The crew and captain refused to carry Angela as she was still bleeding badly from the assault the previous day. The same thing happened the following day in a second attempt to remove her, she was still bleeding badly and again the aircrew refused to carry Angela. She was taken to Colnbrook Short Term Holding Centre and held there for 3 days. Again Angela twice made attempts to lodge an asylum claim but claims she was treated with disdain. On the 4th August, Angela was moved to Oakington reception centre where her asylum claim was accepted and 'fast tracked'. The Home Office refused her claim on the grounds that her ordeal in Jamaica did not involve the 1951 UN Convention relating to the status of refugees, her appeal also failed.

(This picture of Angela was taken on the 12th of August 2005)

(This picture taken 16th June 2006

Angela is now detained in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre.

Forced removal by any means necessary!

On 10th October she was again taken to Heathrow for removal. This time, when she was taken onto the aircraft Angela alleges she was assaulted by her escorts, however the Home Office dispute this, in a letter to Ms. Patterson dated 13/10/05, they said:

"You claim that you have been assaulted during the removal attempt on 10th October 2005. I am aware that e the removal did not go ahead as you bit the Air Jamaica escort.

If you are making allegation that it was them that first assaulted you then you must take this forward if you so wish.

I would point out that your status in the United Kingdom is as a failed asylum seeker who is appeal rights exhausted. You have exercised all your appeal rights and you have been found to have no claim for asylum or human rights in the United Kingdom.

Please be under not illusion your removal directions will be reset and you will be removed from the United Kingdom. Your behaviour will dictate how your removal proceeds but you will remain in detention until your removal fro the United Kingdom."

The Home Office have now set a new removal date of Friday 4th November. Angela has been running and hiding for 13 years. All she wants is a chance to settle down and have a normal life.

What you can do to help

Friends of Angela Patterson in Birmingham are organising a fax campaign to try and persuade Tony McNulty the Immigration Minister to change his mind about removing Angela, model letter attached, (copy/amend/write your own version).
Fax No: 020 7035 4745 from outside the UK  + 20 7035 4745

Please notify the campaign of any faxes sent:
saveangela@supanet.com

Solidarity/support for Angela
Please take a few minutes to ring Angela at Yarl's Wood Removal Centre the number is 01234 821000 ask to be put through to room 106.

Inquiries/further information:
saveangela@supanet.com
jcatley@supanet.com
Save Angela Maria Patterson
NCADC
110 Hamstead Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 2QS

Source for this Message:
Save Angela Maria Patterson campaign