A 14-year-old boy has lost a United Kingdom (UK) High Court battle against his parents after they moved him from London to a boarding school in Ghana. The parents said their action was motivated by concerns over his safety and potential gang involvement.
The boy is described in court as shy, articulate, and passionate about football and cooking. He claimed his parents had deceived him into traveling to Africa under the pretense of visiting a sick relative. “Had I known I was being sent to boarding school, there would have been no way I would have agreed to it,” he said.
A Desperate Plea to Return Home
In a written statement presented to the court, the teenager expressed his distress, stating: “I feel like I am living in hell. I really do not think I deserve this and I want to come home, back to England, as soon as possible.”
He further detailed his struggles in Ghana, where he felt out of place and was frequently mocked. “I could barely understand what was going on and I would get into fights,” he said. Feeling “scared and desperate,” he reached out to the British High Commission in Accra and the charity Children and Family Across Borders. These organisations connected him with legal representatives.
“I am from London, England, and I want to go back home,” he pleaded in his correspondence. He also alleged mistreatment at the school and begged to return to his previous educational institution in the UK.
Parents’ Fears of Gang Involvement
The High Court sided with the boy’s parents, who argued that their decision stemmed from a “unconditional love” for their son. It was therefore a desire to protect him from what they viewed as a dangerous path in London, despite the boy’s distress.
The father told the judge, “We did not want our son to become yet another Black teenager stabbed to death in the streets of London.”
His mother emphasised the urgency of their decision, referencing the murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa. Kelyan was fatally stabbed on a bus in Woolwich in January. “That is every parent’s worst nightmare,” she said. “Sending him to Africa was not a punishment but a measure to protect him. I do not believe he would survive in the UK, and I refuse to be part of his destruction.”
Concerns Raised by Schools and Authorities
The court heard that concerns about the boy’s behavior extended beyond his parents. His school in the UK had reported suspicions of his involvement in criminal activity, noting his possession of expensive clothing and multiple mobile phones.
Rebecca Foulkes, representing the boy’s father, pointed to a checklist from the NSPCC, which suggested the boy exhibited 11 indicators of potential gang involvement, including school absences, unexplained money, and carrying weapons.
However, the boy firmly denied any gang affiliation. “I have never been part of a gang nor involved in gangs in any way. I do not know anyone in a gang, and I do not carry a knife,” he stated. He admitted that “my behavior wasn’t the best” but believed this was the real reason his parents sent him to Ghana.
Legal Questions on Parental Responsibility
The case centered on whether the parents acted unlawfully by sending their son abroad without his consent. However, Justice Hayden ruled that the move was justified, stating that the risk of harm was greater if the boy returned to the UK.
“This is, in many ways, both a sobering and rather depressing conclusion,” the judge noted, ultimately siding with the parents.
Following the ruling, the parents issued a statement: “This has been a really difficult time for us all. Our priority has always been protecting our son, and our focus now is on moving forward as a family.”
Education and the Future
The boy’s barrister, Deirdre Fottrell KC, emphasized that this was not just a matter of distance but a complete removal from the UK’s jurisdiction. The teenager, who had been studying online since last summer, lamented the impact on his education. “I want to have an education again and grow up like a n0rmal person, he told the court adding “I feel like my brain is hurt here. I feel like now I am du£mber than people I used to be smarter than.”
His father, who recently visited him in Ghana, said they had a positive reunion and explored an alternative boarding school where the boy could enroll in September. However, under cross-examination, the father admitted that his son had not expressed a desire to attend the new school.
A Growing Trend?
James Netto, a lawyer from the International Family Law Group representing the boy, highlighted an increase in similar cases, where teenagers seek legal recourse to return to the UK.
“Teenagers are often placed in exceptionally challenging or vulnerable situations, and are now beginning to turn to the court for protection,” Netto said. He noted that in many cases, parents perceive their children as “falling in with the wrong crowd or adopting unorthodox or challenging behaviors.”
