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A 14-year-old boy has lost a court battle against his parents after they moved him from London to a boarding school in Ghana, claiming he had been deceived into the relocation.
The boy, described in court as shy, articulate, and passionate about cooking and football, argued that his parents tricked him into traveling to Ghana under the pretense of visiting a sick relative. Had he known their true intentions, he said, “there would have been no way I would have agreed to it.”
However, his parents defended their decision, saying they feared he was being “groomed” into gang culture and criminal activity in London. His father told the court they did not want their son to become “yet another Black teenager stabbed to death in the streets of London.”
A ‘Hellish’ Experience for the Teen
In a statement to the High Court, the boy described his experience as unbearable. “I feel like I am living in hell. I really do not think I deserve this and I want to come home, back to England, as soon as possible.” He claimed he struggled to adjust, was mocked by his peers, and often got into fights.
Desperate to return, he reached out to the British High Commission in Accra and a UK-based children’s charity for help, saying, “I am from London, England, and I want to go back home.” He also complained that his education was suffering, stating: “I feel like my brain is hurt here. I feel like now I am dumber than people I used to be smarter than.”
Court Backs Parents’ Decision
Despite his pleas, Justice Hayden ruled in favor of his parents, stating that their decision was motivated by “deep, obvious, and unconditional love.” The judge determined that returning to the UK posed a greater risk to the boy’s safety, citing concerns raised by his school that he displayed “an unhealthy interest in knives” and exhibited behaviors linked to gang activity.
Legal representatives for the boy’s father highlighted that he met 11 out of 14 risk indicators for gang involvement, including school absences, possession of unexplained money, and carrying weapons. The parents insisted that sending him to Ghana was a protective measure, not a punishment.
A Growing Trend of Forced Relocations
The case sheds light on a rising trend of UK-based teenagers being sent abroad by parents concerned about their exposure to gang violence and crime. James Netto, the boy’s solicitor, noted an increase in similar cases where teenagers are seeking legal intervention to return to the UK.
“This has been a really difficult time for us all,” the boy’s parents said in a statement after the ruling. “Our priority has always been protecting our son, and our focus now is on moving forward as a family.”
Meanwhile, the boy remains in Ghana, with discussions underway about enrolling him in a different boarding school in September—a decision he has yet to endorse.
