Asylum blow for Malawian mother and daughter

Published on Thursday 14 October 2010 17:13

A TEN-year-old Scots asylum seeker and her mother have suffered another setback in their fight to stay in Scotland.

Precious Mhango and her mother Florence, 32, from Cranhill in Glasgow, have been refused grounds to appeal the last court ruling that said the Home Office was justified in attempting to deport them to Malawi.

The mother and daughter, who have lived in Britain for seven years, have previously spent several spells in Dungavel detention centre in North Lanarkshire and Yarl's Wood in Bedforshire and were granted a last-minute reprieve last November while sitting on a plane at Heathrow airport about to take them Malawi.

The family's advocate argued their case at a 20-minute hearing in London on Wednesday but Lord Justice Sullivan dismissed their claims, denying them a chance to appeal the Home Office's decision to deport them.

The appeal centres on Malawi's tradition of the father's family "owning" the children. Mrs Mhango fears if sent back to Malawi Precious could be forced into marriage and even be subjected to genital mutilation.

Last night MSP Anne McLaughlin urged supporters to fight the deportation despite the latest legal setback.

"We now need to look at making a fresh appeal but that is Florence's decision.

"I am really stunned that yet another judge has rejected their appeal when are clearly in danger if they return to Malawi."

The family's case was taken up by First Minister Alex Salmond last November, who told MSPs that pressure was mounting on UK immigration chiefs to allow the pair to remain.