Immigration Detention Solicitors: Client Awarded £60,000

 

An asylum seeker has been awarded £60,000 in a civil claim for false imprisonment against the Home Office, following years of dedicated work by specialist immigration detention solicitor Lily Parrott. The settlement represents a significant victory for individuals unlawfully detained under immigration powers and highlights ongoing concerns about the Home Office's use of detention in the United Kingdom.

Home Office Accepts Liability for Unlawful Detention

 

The Home Office notably accepted liability for removing the client from the UK to France in March 2020 on the basis of an unlawful reliance on Article 13(2) of the Dublin Convention. This decision rendered his full period of detention prior to removal unlawful, establishing grounds for a compensation claim against the Home Office.

 

This case is particularly significant as many people were likely subject to this unlawful interpretation and use of Article 13(2) of the Dublin Convention, raising serious questions about immigration detention practices during this period.

The Client's Journey: From Asylum Seeker to Successful Claimant

 

The client, originally arrived in the UK in January 2020 to claim asylum and seek asylum from persecution. His experience illustrates the devastating impact of unlawful immigration detention on vulnerable individuals.

 

Case Timeline

 

• January 2020: Client arrives in UK to claim asylum
• March 2020: Home Office detains him under immigration powers and removes him to France based on unlawful interpretation of Dublin Convention. Left homeless and destitute.
• June 2020: The client returns to UK and claims asylum again. He is later convicted of facilitating unlawful entry to the UK and sentenced to three years' imprisonment
• 19 October 2021: Completes criminal sentence but Home Office detains him under immigration powers in an immigration removal centre
• 8 February 2022: Court of Appeal quashes his conviction
• 11 February 2022: Released from immigration detention without accommodation or financial support, rendering him homeless and destitute
• 31 August 2023: Granted asylum and leave to remain in the UK
• 11 August 2025: Awarded £60,000 settlement for unlawful detention

Understanding Unlawful Immigration Detention

 

Immigration detention in the United Kingdom refers to the confinement of individuals under immigration powers while the Home Office processes their immigration case or arranges removal from the UK. While immigration authorities have powers to detain people, detention must be lawful, necessary, and reasonable.

 

When Immigration Detention Becomes Unlawful

 

Your period of detention was unlawful if the Home Office detained you without proper legal grounds or failed to follow immigration law. Unlawful detention can occur when:

 

• The Home Office detains you for longer than necessary without valid reasons
• You are detained despite suffering from serious medical conditions or disability that make detention inappropriate
• There is no realistic prospect of removal from the UK within a reasonable timeframe
• You were unlawfully detained as an unaccompanied minor without appropriate safeguards
• The detention was based on unlawful interpretation or application of immigration law, as in this case
• The Home Office failed to properly consider your individual circumstances and risk factors
• You were held in a removal centre or prison beyond the point where detention served any legitimate purpose

 

Unlike the criminal justice system, there is no limit on how long someone can be detained under immigration powers in the UK. This has led to cases of prolonged detention that may have been unlawful, particularly where individuals are suffering from serious medical conditions or where deportation is not realistically achievable.

Immigration Detention and the Right to Asylum

 

Asylum seekers fleeing persecution have the right to claim asylum in the UK. However, many asylum seekers are detained in immigration detention centres while their claims are processed. The detention of asylum seekers raises particular legal and ethical concerns, especially when individuals are unlawfully detained after arriving to seek protection.

Bail for Immigration Detainees

If you are detained under immigration powers, you have the right to apply for immigration bail. Bail applications may allow detainees to be released from detention while their immigration case is resolved, subject to bail conditions set by the court or immigration authorities.

Applying for Release from Detention

 

Expert solicitors can assist with bail applications to secure your release from an immigration detention centre. The immigration bail process involves demonstrating to a tribunal or immigration judge that you can be safely released into the community and will comply with conditions such as regular reporting to immigration authorities.

 

Specialist legal advice is crucial for bail applications, as immigration lawyers understand what evidence and arguments are most effective in securing release from detention.

Making a Compensation Claim for Unlawful Detention

 

If you were unlawfully detained by the Home Office, you may be able to claim compensation for your unlawful detention. Immigration detention claims can result in substantial settlements where the detention was unlawful, as demonstrated by this £60,000 award.

Compensation for Unlawful Detention

 

A claim against the Home Office for unlawful immigration detention is based on the tort of false imprisonment. To succeed in making a compensation claim, you must demonstrate that your period of detention was unlawful under immigration law or that the Home Office's use of immigration detention powers was improper.

 

Compensation for your unlawful detention takes into account:

 

• The length of your period of unlawful detention
• The conditions in the immigration removal centre or prison where you were held
• The impact on your mental and physical health
• Loss of liberty and dignity
• Whether you were left homeless and destitute after release
• Any particular vulnerability, such as disability or history of torture

Time Limits for Immigration Detention Claims

Legal proceedings for unlawful detention must usually be brought within six years from the date of detention. It is essential to speak to one of our expert solicitors as soon as possible if you believe your detention may have been unlawful.

Deportation and Removal from the UK

 

The Home Office has powers to deport individuals and arrange removal from the UK in various circumstances. A deportation order can be made against foreign nationals who are convicted of criminal offences or where the Home Office considers their presence not conducive to the public good.

Challenging Deportation Orders

 

Immigration solicitors can challenge deportation orders through appeal rights and judicial review proceedings. If you face removal from the UK, legal representation is vital to protect your right to stay and ensure immigration authorities follow proper procedures.

 

Specialist solicitors can assess whether you have grounds to remain in the UK, such as:

 

• Right of asylum based on risk of persecution
• Human rights grounds under the European Convention on Human Rights
• Leave to remain based on family or private life in the UK
• Protection from removal where you may face torture or inhuman treatment
• Indefinite leave to remain or UK visa applications

How Immigration Detention Solicitors Can Help

 

Our specialist solicitors work tirelessly to protect the legal rights of those detained by the Home Office. We provide expert legal advice across all aspects of immigration law and immigration detention cases.

Our Legal Services Include:

 

• Urgent bail applications for those held in detention centres
• Challenging unlawful immigration detention through legal proceedings
• Making compensation claims for periods of unlawful detention
• Judicial review of Home Office decisions
• Deportation defence and appeal rights
• Asylum claims and protection applications
• Immigration advice on UK visa applications and citizenship
• Legal aid funding where available

Important: If you are currently detained in an immigration removal centre or prison under immigration powers, contact our legal team urgently. We may be able to secure your immediate release through bail applications or challenge the lawfulness of your detention.

About Our Specialist Immigration Detention Solicitor

Lily Parrott - Immigration & Public Law Solicitor

Lily Parrott is a Solicitor in the Public Law department at Duncan Lewis, specialising in the intersection of immigration, asylum, public and human rights law. Since joining the team in March 2019, she has developed a highly regarded practice supporting vulnerable clients through their most challenging legal battles.

 

Expertise in Immigration Detention and Asylum Cases

 

Lily leads a dedicated team of caseworkers, providing specialist legal representation to individuals in detention centres and prisons, those suffering from complex physical and mental health issues, and victims of torture, sexual violence and trafficking. Her work encompasses asylum claims, fresh claims, appeals at the First-tier and Upper Tribunals, and National Referral Mechanism (NRM) referrals for trafficking victims.

 

She has developed a reputation for being caring and dedicated to vulnerable clients while maintaining the highest quality legal representation. Her approach combines compassionate client care with robust legal advocacy.

 

Strategic Litigation and False Imprisonment Claims

 

Within public law, Lily conducts judicial reviews for both individual clients and strategic litigation on issues engaging immigration and human rights law. She has significant experience in challenging imminent removals and unlawful detention, securing urgent bail applications and compensation for those unlawfully detained by the Home Office.

 

Her strategic work includes several landmark cases directly relevant to immigration detention:

 

• Leading a High Court challenge of the use of GPS ankle tags on asylum seekers and foreign national offenders released on immigration bail (ADL & Ors v SSHD [2024])
• Developing a challenge to the Home Office's use of Article 13(2) Dublin III regulations to remove asylum seekers who had arrived to the UK by boat to France - the very issue at the heart of the £60,000 settlement case featured in this article
• Acting as junior counsel in a challenge of the Home Office's failure to provide effective access to justice to women detained at Derwentside Immigration Removal Centre
• Assisting with a successful challenge of trafficking maternity payments

 

Lily regularly engages in litigation for damages for false imprisonment and other civil claims against the Home Office, securing substantial compensation for clients who have been unlawfully detained.

Advocacy and Access to Justice

 

Lily has spoken to multiple media sources including The Guardian and The Independent about the importance of legal work in giving the most vulnerable access to justice. She regularly works with charities to make law more accessible and inclusive.

 

She is also co-founder and co-director of the annual London Migration Film Festival, the leading project of Migration Collective, which challenges narrow rhetoric on migration and promotes more humanising narratives about people on the move.

 

Experience Supporting Vulnerable Migrants

 

Before joining Duncan Lewis, Lily worked as manager of refugee services and international family tracing at the British Red Cross in Kent and Sussex, where she supported unaccompanied asylum-seeking children, vulnerable migrants, and people in immigration detention. This frontline experience informs her deeply empathetic and effective approach to legal representation.

 

Contact Lily Parrott and the immigration detention team for expert legal advice on unlawful detention claims, bail applications, and deportation defence.

 

Email: lilyp@duncanlewis.com

 

Telephone: 02031141319

Contact Us: Expert Immigration Detention Solicitors

 

If you have been unlawfully detained by immigration authorities or face deportation, our specialist legal team is here to help. Duncan Lewis are solicitors in London regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority, with extensive experience in immigration detention cases.

 

Immigration Bail

 

We assist detainees with urgent bail applications to secure release from immigration detention centres, working around the clock to protect your liberty.

Unlawful Detention Claims

 

Our immigration lawyers pursue compensation claims where individuals were unlawfully detained, securing substantial settlements for false imprisonment.

Deportation Defence

 

We challenge deportation orders and fight removal from the UK, protecting your right to live in the UK and stay with your family.

 

Our solicitors can assist whether you are currently detained or were previously unlawfully detained. We understand immigration law and the legal process for challenging Home Office decisions. Our expert legal team has successfully represented clients in immigration detention cases, securing both release from detention and substantial compensation.

 

We provide specialist legal advice to asylum seekers, those held under the Home Office hostile environment policy, and individuals facing removal from the UK. Where you are eligible, we can arrange legal aid funding to ensure you have access to justice regardless of your financial circumstances.

Contact Us Today for Urgent Legal Advice