Court says man who helped track and kill rival gang member in Manchester CANNOT be deported

William George, a 27-year-old man from Belgium, was sentenced to 12 years in prison for his involvement in the killing of 18-year-old Abdul Hafidah. This incident happened in Moss Side, Manchester, in 2016. Abdul was a member of a street gang called the Rusholme Crips, and he entered an area controlled by a rival gang known as “Active Only” (AO).

When members of AO saw him, they chased him down, eventually knocking him to the ground with a car. Afterward, they attacked him brutally, punching, kicking, and stabbing him in front of shocked bystanders. Abdul passed away two days later in the hospital due to the severe injuries from the attack.

William George played a role in the chase. He wasn’t armed and didn’t participate in the final attack but helped the gang by acting as a lookout and blocking Abdul’s path with his bike so that the others could catch up.

Although he did not directly harm Abdul, the court found him guilty of manslaughter for helping the gang and playing a “vital role” in the events that led to Abdul’s death.

In 2018, then-Home Secretary Sajid Javid ruled that George, who had moved to the UK with his family at the age of eight, should be deported to Belgium after finishing his prison sentence.

The decision was based on “public safety concerns.” However, George fought this decision and won. Recently, the Court of Appeal reviewed the case and agreed that deporting George was not justified because they did not see him as a serious future threat to public safety.

The Court of Appeal criticized the Home Office for making mistakes in handling George’s case, saying the department failed to follow proper procedures. The judges pointed out that the Home Office used a legal argument they had already dropped in a lower court, which showed poor management of the case.

The court noted that George has already been punished with a 12-year prison sentence and that sending him back to Belgium, where he hasn’t lived since he was a child, was not necessary. They made it clear that George’s punishment was enough and that he did not pose enough risk to public safety to require further action.

In response, the Home Office commented that they are dedicated to ensuring justice and keeping communities safe, saying they will continue pursuing deportation for foreign nationals who commit crimes.