Angela was born on 13th July 1966 in Jamaica. A number of years ago she was attacked in Kingston when some acid was thrown in her face. This blinded her left eye. She reported the attack to the police, and the police told a gang that she was an informer. She was forced to leave her children and go into hiding because of the threats to her life being made by the gang. Even whilst in hiding the gang found her and shot her, fortunately only wounding her in her leg, however her nephew was killed.
Her family managed to save enough money for her to fly to England. She arrived at Heathrow on 9th February 2002, but the Immigration Service stated that she could not stay and requested that she return in three days to go back to Jamaica. She had the choice of returning to be killed or staying in England as an illegal immigrant. Angela is from a very poor background and the concept of Asylum was unknown to her.
On July 31st this year she was attacked in Birmingham when she was hit in the face by a bottle. The attack happened in front of a number of policemen but no charges were brought against the attacker and Angela was sent to Heathrow for deportation, without any legal help being provided.
On 1st and 2nd of August the Immigration people tried to remove her but on both occasions the flight crew, supported by a doctor, refused to take her on board the aircraft because her face was bleeding badly.
Since July 31st she has been in detention but has had no medical treatment for her damaged eye. It is still swollen and discoloured three months after the attack, and she is in constant pain.
I have obtained a solicitor for Angela but he has never presented the proof of the Jamaican attacks to the court. This has resulted in her story not being believed..
On 10th October she was again taken to Heathrow for removal. This time, when she was taken onto the aircraft, two security guards assaulted her. This left her badly bruised and in considerable pain. Only the intervention of the flight crew stopped the beating, and they again refused to transport her.
Angela has been running and hiding for years. All she wants is a chance to settle down and have a normal life. If she is removed on 4th November the gang are waiting to kill her.
I beg you to petition the Home Office in an effort to save this lovely lady's life.
Write to Tony: McNulty MP, Minister of State, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF and plead that he will grant Angela Exceptional Leave to remain in the UK
Please email
saveangela@supanet.com with a note of what you have done
John Catley
07790 480164
On July 31st this year she was attacked in Birmingham when she was hit in the face by a bottle. The attack happened in front of a number of policemen but no charges were brought against the attacker and Angela was sent to Heathrow for deportation, without any legal help being provided.
On 1st and 2nd of August the Immigration people tried to remove her but on both occasions the flight crew, supported by a doctor, refused to take her on board the aircraft because her face was bleeding badly.
Since July 31st she has been in detention but has had no medical treatment for her damaged eye. It is still swollen and discoloured three months after the attack, and she is in constant pain.
I have obtained a solicitor for Angela but he has never presented the proof of the Jamaican attacks to the court. This has resulted in her story not being believed..
On 10th October she was again taken to Heathrow for removal. This time, when she was taken onto the aircraft, two security guards assaulted her. This left her badly bruised and in considerable pain. Only the intervention of the flight crew stopped the beating, and they again refused to transport her.
Angela has been running and hiding for years. All she wants is a chance to settle down and have a normal life. If she is removed on 4th November the gang are waiting to kill her.
I beg you to petition the Home Office in an effort to save this lovely lady's life.
Write to Tony: McNulty MP, Minister of State, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF and plead that he will grant Angela Exceptional Leave to remain in the UK
Please email
saveangela@supanet.com with a note of what you have done John Catley
07790 480164
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Save Angela Maria Patterson
31.10.2005 09:48
NCADC News Service
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Save Angela Maria Patterson
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.
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.
(This picture of Angela was taken on the 12th of August)
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.
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:
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:
Save Angela Maria Patterson
NCADC
110 Hamstead Road
Handsworth
Birmingham B20 2QS
End of Bulletin:
Source for this Message:
Save Angela Maria Patterson campaign
NCADC News Service