A United Kingdom judge has blocked the attempts by the British government to deport Nigerian national Tunde Lawal Alao following his release from prison after serving a sentence for a fake driving licence production scam.

Reports noted that Mr Alao was in June 2022 convicted of conspiracy to defraud the public after he unsuccessfully attempting to produce face driving licences between 2019 and January 2022.

He subsequently pleaded guilty to the offence before being jailed for 31 months and was ordered to pay a £149 fine. The convict was released from prison in 2023 and the UK Home Office has tried to deport him to Nigeria. 

The Telegraph reported that Mr Alao is believed to have arrived in the UK in either 2004 or 2005 and lived illegally in the country for sometime before applying for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) under the EU Settlement Scheme in August 2020. 

Despite his immigration violation, he was granted a limited leave to remain in the UK in 2021, shortly before he was sentenced to prison for fraud, which authorities argued could have earned him “a great deal of money.”

Ruling on Mr Alao’s appeal against the Home Office’s attempt to deport him, Upper Tribunal Judge Priya Solanki agreed with his petition, stating that his conduct since being released from prison does not pose a significant threat to the public.

The judge stated, “(The Home Office) has not satisfied me that [Mr Alao’s] personal conduct represents a genuine, present and sufficiently serious threat affecting one of the fundamental interests of society.”

Mr Alao’s employer, where he worked as an office assistant and client coordinator since October 2023, also helped his case by writing a letter to the judge, highlighting his efforts to rebuild his life since leaving prison.

“I am writing to express my strong support for Mr Tunde Alao, who is currently employed at [our company] as Office Assistant and Client Coordinator. Mr Alao has been a highly valued member of our team since October 1st 2023, and I believe that it is in the best interest of both our business and the community for him to remain in the UK.

“In addition to his professional contributions, Mr Alao has integrated well into UK society, building strong relationships with his colleagues and actively participating in community events. His presence in the UK is not only beneficial for our business but also for the broader community in which he lives and works,” the boss wrote.