Kurdish refugee sent to La Moye

Wednesday 03 February 2016

An Iranian Kurd who was discovered in the boot of a car at the Harbour on Saturday will spend the next fortnight in prison in Jersey while the courts decide how to handle his case.

Amir Marreakhy was remanded in custody by Assistant Magistrate Peter Harris yesterday because the Island has no facility to accommodate alleged illegal immigrants.

The 28-year-old, who speaks Sorani Kurdish and required an interpreter in court, said he had lived in fear of going to prison in Iran.

Mr Marreakhy arrived at the Harbour from St Malo in the boot of a Vauxhall Corsa. His brother, Arsalan (32), and his sister-in-law, Amanda Marreakhy (28), both of Batley in West Yorkshire, are jointly accused of helping an illegal immigrant enter the Island.

The Court heard that Amir Marreakhy, who walks with the aid of crutches, had arrived in France via Turkey and lived in the ‘Jungle’ refugee camp in Calais before travelling to St Malo.

He has been charged with entering the Island illegally, which has a maximum penalty of six months in prison. He will reappear in court on 16 February, when Mr Harris will decide if the Magistrate’s Court has the authority to deal with the case or whether it should be heard in the Royal Court.

His Iranian-born brother, who has lived in the UK for ten years and been granted asylum there, and English sister-in-law, who have three children, also appeared in the Magistrate’s Court yesterday. Mr Harris declined jurisdiction for the couple and ordered them to reappear in court on 15 March, when their case will be formally sent to the Royal Court.

Mr Harris granted the couple bail, allowing them to return to England with their children. They were ordered to surrender identification documents, live at their home address and report to their local police station daily.

But Mr Harris  said he needed more time to find out more about Amir Marreakhy’s background and the circumstances of his arrival before deciding which court should hear his case.