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21/08/2007
Lawrence Widow 'Devastated' By Deportation Decision On Killer
The widow of murdered headteacher Philip Lawrence has said she is "devastated" by a court's decision not to deport his killer.
On Monday, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ruled that Learco Chindamo would not be deported to Italy, where he was born. His lawyers had argued that sending him to Italy would be a breach of his human rights as he had lived in an EU country for more than a decade.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Frances Lawrence said that she did not anticipate that she would feel as "utterly devastated" as she felt. She said: "I think that's because what I'm feeling is not solely about the deportation issue because I do understand the stated reasons for that decision and I understand that within the confines of the law Mr Chindamo has the same rights as my son whose father he killed.
"What I don't understand and what makes me so depressed is how the Human Rights Act, which I believe was set up to be exemplar to show how human beings should live together fairly and equally and kindly, and now it's allowed someone who destroyed a life to pick and choose how he wants to live his."
Chindamo, now 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the murder of Mr Lawrence, who was stabbed outside St George's Catholic school in Maida Vale, north London on December 8 1995.
Chindamo, who was 15 at the time of the murder, was leading a gang who attacked a 13-year-old boy with an iron bar outside the school gates. Mr Lawrence had gone to intervene in the fight and was stabbed in the chest.
He was sentenced to a minimum term of 12 years, which means he could be released from prison next year.
The Home Office has said that it will appeal the decision to allow Chindamo to remain in the UK.
(KMcA/SP)
On Monday, the Asylum and Immigration Tribunal ruled that Learco Chindamo would not be deported to Italy, where he was born. His lawyers had argued that sending him to Italy would be a breach of his human rights as he had lived in an EU country for more than a decade.
Speaking on BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme, Frances Lawrence said that she did not anticipate that she would feel as "utterly devastated" as she felt. She said: "I think that's because what I'm feeling is not solely about the deportation issue because I do understand the stated reasons for that decision and I understand that within the confines of the law Mr Chindamo has the same rights as my son whose father he killed.
"What I don't understand and what makes me so depressed is how the Human Rights Act, which I believe was set up to be exemplar to show how human beings should live together fairly and equally and kindly, and now it's allowed someone who destroyed a life to pick and choose how he wants to live his."
Chindamo, now 26, was sentenced to life imprisonment in 1996 for the murder of Mr Lawrence, who was stabbed outside St George's Catholic school in Maida Vale, north London on December 8 1995.
Chindamo, who was 15 at the time of the murder, was leading a gang who attacked a 13-year-old boy with an iron bar outside the school gates. Mr Lawrence had gone to intervene in the fight and was stabbed in the chest.
He was sentenced to a minimum term of 12 years, which means he could be released from prison next year.
The Home Office has said that it will appeal the decision to allow Chindamo to remain in the UK.
(KMcA/SP)
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