Mum's Deportation Put On Hold

11 April 2018, 15:20 | Updated: 11 April 2018, 15:22

The deportation case against a mother from Belarus has been put on hold following political intervention.

Volha Merry, known as Olya, had received a letter from the Home Office saying she could be deported if she did not leave the UK this week.

Mrs Merry, lives in Coatbridge, North Lanarkshire, with her husband Derek and their two-year-old daughter.

Earlier the 28-year-old said she had struggled to get permission to stay in the UK since she married Derek five years ago, and he said he was "terrified" of losing his family after receiving the letter.

Now Mr Merry said he is "delighted" a review of the case will be carried out, meaning no deportation can go ahead during while the review is underway.

He told BBC Scotland: "It's great. We couldn't be more delighted. It's a step in the right direction."

He added that it "gives us breathing space now to work on the next step".

External affairs secretary Fiona Hyslop and local politicians contacted the Home Office calling for a review of the case.

Ms Hyslop wrote to the Home Secretary Amber Rudd asking for her to "look into the case as a matter of urgency".

Labour MP for Coatbridge, Chryston and Bellshill, Hugh Gaffney, and SNP MSP for Coatbridge and Chryston, Fulton MacGregor, also took up the case.

A spokesman for Mr Gaffney said: "After hearing from the family that there was a threat of deportation, I immediately contacted the Minister for Immigration's office to ask for a review of Olya's case.

"My staff and I have met with the family and discussed a variety of ways to keep Olya in the country, and the family together.

"I have since spoken with the Minister for Immigration's office and had confirmation that there will now be a review carried out on Olya's case. In the meantime no deportation can go ahead."

The couple previously lived in Ireland for almost six months, with Mr Merry saying the Home Office had advised them to make use of European freedom of movement rules.

They later relocated to Scotland when his wife fell pregnant.