Norfolk MPs seek to stop deportation of woman

MPs George Freeman, Richard Bacon and Clive Lewis are asking the Home Office to halt the deportation of a vulnerable asylum seeker

Three MPs have appealed to the Home Office to halt the deportation of an Albanian woman and her daughter.

The Norfolk MPs fear the woman, who claims being drugged and sold by traffickers into prostitution, faces being killed if she is sent home.

George Freeman, Richard Bacon and Clive Lewis want an urgent meeting with Home Office officials about the case.

The former law student said she was abducted from a ferry on her way to Italy for a holiday four years ago.

South Norwich MP Clive Lewis said the MPs had taken advice from the Sue Lambert Trust, which provides support to survivors of sexual abuse.

'Sold into prostitution'

"They're concerned for her, we're concerned for her, she's concerned for herself and we feel that she has to stay in this country and that her application for asylum should be honoured," he said.

The woman, whose name has not been revealed for her safety, said after she began feeling unwell, a group of people on the ferry offered to help her. Instead, she said, they drugged her and sold her into prostitution.

After becoming pregnant, she managed to escape and hid on a lorry which brought her to Norwich where her daughter - now aged two - was born.

Her claim for asylum was rejected last week and she could be deported soon.

'Honour killing'

South Norfolk MP Richard Bacon told the Commons she was very vulnerable.

"She is now staying at her therapist's house in South Norfolk to reduce the risk of self-harm, and if she were deported to Albania... might be the victim of an 'honour killing'," he said.

"Albania has one of the highest rates of 'honour killing' in Europe, will the government look very closely at (this) case?"

"Honour killing" is defined as the murder of a relative, especially a girl or woman, who is perceived to have brought dishonour on her family.

It is understood the Home Office is trying to arrange a meeting for next week with the MPs and the woman's other supporters.