A rapist who came to the UK by small boat in 2016 has tried to fight deportation due to his sexuality. Karam Majdi, 27, was sent to a youth offender’s institution and served half of his seven-year sentence in a UK prison after raping a 14-year-old schoolgirl he met online in 2017.
He had been living in a hostel in Hove when he travelled to London and pinned down his victim despite her protestations in what the judge described as an “opportunistic” and “vile” attack. The court heard the assault left her thighs black and blue. In his latest attempt to resist deportation, Majdi claimed he cannot be deported because he is bisexual and would be persecuted in his home country — which he claimed was Syria, though officials are unsure. His appeal was initially considered by the government, before it was reviewed and challenged by the Home Office on Wednesday.
A previous review of Majdi’s sexuality was reportedly described by the Home Office as “unhelpful” because it “sat on the fence”, and led to the government to accept the view that he is bisexual.
The Home Office admitted this was a mistake based on a professional opinion and on Thursday, the judge allowed the Secretary of State to withdraw its concession, reports The Daily Mail.
In the tribunal hearing, Majdi claimed he previously had relationships with two men, but he was unable to provide evidence and claimed photos and texts were lost after he misplaced his iPhone SIM card.
He refused an interpreter as requested by his solicitor and defended himself under cross examination at Field House in London.
George Mavrantonis, for the Home Office, said: “Since 2021 he claimed to be bisexual. It is an embellishment, a fabrication for the asylum claim.
“In a report from 2019 the appellant reported to not currently be in a relationship, having dated girls that he has met on social media.
“There is only evidence towards his attraction to girls and none towards men. The sexuality claim must feign under the circumstances.”
Majdi previously attempted to avoid deportatioin, but the Home Office rejected his application for asylum after disputing his claims to be from Syria.
He allegedly lied when he came to the UK by small boat in 2016. He purportedly said his identity documents were lost at sea on his way to Britain and he was an unaccompanied child from Syria who had been fighting in Aleppo.
Following a language assessment, immigration authorities said they believe Majdi lied about his home country when he arrived in the UK.
Mr Mavrantonis questioned the document’s authenticity and said that even if it were genuine, the country was no longer under the control of Islamic State or former President Bashar al-Assad and is therefore no longer a threat to returning citizens.
Majdi continued to insist he is Syrian. Judge R M Abdar will rule on whether he accepts Majdi’s claims of his sexuality and nationality in a judgement by next month.
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