You're Disappointed..?

Imagine how we, the taxpayers, feel...

The Home Office said it was 'disappointed' with the decision. Five of the men had already pleaded guilty to unlawful entry and jailed for two weeks. Their convictions are expected to be quashed.

Yet another utter failure from a government department that can't even get the basics right... 

A Border Force source said: 'It's a basic principle that a foreign national must have set foot in this country to be charged with illegal entry. This offence should be bread and butter stuff for immigration officers.'

Here's a newsflash - it wasn't.  

The Home Office did not seek specific legal advice about the evidence required for a prosecution before the vessel was intercepted.

Surely in an operation with over 250 civil servants and frontline officers someone must have thought 'Hang on, if they are intercepted before they land, are they actually breaking the law?'..? 

But incredibly, no one did. 

A spokesman for the department said: 'The decision to arrest and charge was an operational one made by officials who are fully aware of the relevant legislation.

'Because these are summary offences dealt with at the magistrates' court, it was not a case where one would go to the CPS and get legal advice.'

Clearly, they either aren't 'fully aware' or they are and thought they could blag it.  

After the arrests, Priti Patel hailed the operation as a 'big win' against a 'serious illegal enterprise'.

What do you think of it now, Priti? Ready to do a bit of bullying and firing, I hope! 

Ana Maria Ajazi, 34, whose husband Taulant was hiding in the ship and has been held at Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre in Bedfordshire since his arrest, said: 'I'm very happy to hear this news. I hope they will release him soon.

'I am angry they made this mistake because they have been in prison for nearly a month.'

*grinds teeth* 

Mrs Ajazi, who is currently in Romania, added: 'I hope they will all be released with documentation so they can live freely.'

I hope they are put on the next plane out of here. But no doubt the activist lawyers are already circling... 

Mr Ajazi, 31, from Tirana, said he and other migrants were poised to launch appeals to stay in Britain.

'It is our human right to be able to come here with our families,' he added. 'Our life is at risk in our country because of our debts. We spoke to lawyers. It is our right to be able to live our life in freedom.'

Not here it isn't. But we are once again on the hook for massive payouts and more people we don't want in our country because of the utter uselessness and blinding incompetence of the people who are paid to do a job. 

And yet seemingly prove unsackable when it turns out they aren't up to it.