In The Press

Duncan Lewis Public Law Director James Packer’s successful representation of a man wrongly barred from the UK due to a Home Office criminal records error has been featured in the Telegraph.

The client, Adam (not his real name), was prevented from taking a flight back to Britain after a short trip with his mother.

Immigration officials claimed he had been deported a year earlier due to an extensive criminal record. However, this was entirely false—and case of mistaken identity caused by an IT error.

The ordeal was described as a “Kafkaesque nightmare.”

Adam had been persistently contacting the Home Office for four years regarding delays in his UK residency application, which officials claimed was due to concerns about his criminal record.

Despite providing proof of a clean criminal record, he believed the issue had been resolved. Yet, after taking his mother on holiday, he was removed from his flight, later receiving a letter stating he was a deportee using a false identity.

Following a judicial review challenge, the Home Office finally admitted its mistake, conceding that Adam was not the individual excluded from the UK.

After seven months of separation, he was finally allowed to return home and reunite with his family. This case highlights the serious consequences of Home Office data errors and the vital role of legal challenges in holding authorities to account.

To read the full article on The Telegraph and James Packer’s thoughts, you can access it here.

About James Packer

James Packer is a highly regarded public law specialist, consistently recognised as "exceptional" and “outstanding” by Chambers and Partners and The Legal 500. He has extensive experience in high-stakes litigation, regularly conducting test cases on matters including access to the courts, unlawful detention, enforced removals, and legal aid refusals. James frequently appears in the Court of Appeal, particularly in costs and procedural challenges.

About Duncan Lewis Solicitors

Duncan Lewis Solicitors is a leading UK law firm, recognised for its excellence across a broad spectrum of legal services. Ranked Top Tier in Legal 500 and Chambers and Partners, the firm was named Law Firm of the Year at the LexisNexis Awards 2024, following its win in the same category at the Modern Law Awards 2023.

The firm’s Immigration and Public Law team is particularly renowned for handling complex and high-profile cases involving human rights and asylum seekers. With landmark successes in cases such as Brook House, the Rwanda Challenge, and Manston House, Duncan Lewis continues to provide unparalleled legal representation, ensuring justice for the most vulnerable