Foreign criminals are vanishing from our courts and reoffending under fake names, ex-prosecutor claims

The Sun

2 days ago

FOREIGN criminals are vanishing from British courts mid-trial and reoffending under fake names, a former top prosecutor has claimed.
Reform UK 's rising star Laila Cunningham, who recently quit the CPS, said illegal migrants are slipping through the cracks and warned Britain is now 'importing crime'.
2
2
The mother-of-seven and London councillor is now leading Nigel Farage's national crime campaign - having defected from the Tories.
Speaking to The Sun, Ms Cunningham said overstayers and undocumented migrants often used 'long lists of aliases' to dodge justice - with some simply vanishing during trial.
Recalling a shocking case, she said: 'He robbed a woman coming off the Eurostar, took her suitcase and left. He was an illegal asylum seeker, the mitigation is that he can't work.
"So they ordered what you call a probation report. And they said, we are going to adjourn it until after lunch. He never came back, and he is untraceable.
"And this happens all the time."
Explaining how others simply lie about their age to stay in the country, she added: "I have had a guy with literally a receding hairline, white hairs, and he said he's 16. And then you have to argue in court if he really is 16. Legal Aid pays for an age assessor and he keeps committing crimes.
"I definitely think that if you do commit a crime, your asylum application should be denied immediately."
Ms Cunningham also said she felt forced out of the Crown Prosecution Service after speaking publicly about grooming gangs, a lack of policing, and her decision to join Reform.
She revealed bosses raised three complaints, including that she had spoken critically about parts of the Muslim community.
The Westminster councillor said: 'I said that Muslim communities have really let Muslims down. And I said, 'But I am Muslim. It's just me speaking in a personal capacity.''
Her comments come as Ministry of Justice figures show 1,731 foreign nationals are now in UK prisons for sex crimes - up nearly 10 per cent in a year.
A total of 10,722 foreign offenders and suspects are currently behind bars - the highest figure in over a decade - costing the taxpayer an estimated £580 million annually.
Backing 30,000 more police, zero-tolerance policing and automatic deportations, Ms Cunningham added: 'Criminals have to fear the law again.
'The old parties sold us out - Reform is the only one putting British people first.'
A Crown Prosecution Service spokesperson said: "Councillor Cunningham resigned from her position as a CPS prosecutor.'
They also stressed Ms Cunningham quit before HR action was initiated.