A convicted paedophile from Diego Garcia will be transferred to a prison in Montserrat, 9,000 miles away in the Caribbean, as part of Keir Starmer’s deal to “surrender” the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.
The prisoner – known as VT – was blocked from entering Britain despite being incarcerated on the strategic archipelago in the Indian Ocean and was just one of hundreds of Tamil migrants who landed on Diego Garcia in 2021 and 2022.
The transfer has followed the Prime Minister’s concession to hand over British sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius – a country which has never had control over the archipelago.
Consequently, rather than being sent to Mauritius or allowed into the UK, VT will serve his sentence at HMP Brades on Montserrat.
The transfer has followed the Prime Minister’s decision to hand over British sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius – a country which has never had control over the archipelago
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The British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean has said that Britain may pay the island to house the prisoner, although maintaining that the island was becoming a “penal colony” – mentioning that Montserrat had hosted prisoners “for a fee” in the past.
VT was sentenced to three years in prison after seriously sexually assaulting a child on Diego Garcia.
Court documents revealed details of VT’s case following a failed appeal by another Tamil prisoner known as KP.
Home Office asylum unit deputy director Dr Meirav Elimelech said that migrants facing criminal offences had “no right of entry into the UK”.
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She added: “The offences are very serious in their nature and recent. Admitting individuals with a propensity to criminal behaviour therefore creates an inevitable risk to those in the UK arising from further offending or reoffending.
“Exclusion of criminals eliminates that risk.”
The Tamil migrants initially claimed they were trying to reach Canada to claim asylum when their boat ran into trouble.
VT will be transferred to Montserrat, a volcanic island in the Lesser Antilles, more than 9,000 miles from Diego Garcia – a decision which comes after British officials scouted for remote territories to send migrants following Starmer’s deal with Mauritius.
Officials were unsure what to do with three migrants either convicted of or facing criminal charges after plans to move them to St Helena – another British Overseas Territory in the south Atlantic – were abandoned.
Reuben Meade, the premier of Montserrat, amidst the ruins of government buildings after the Soufriere-Hills Volcano became active and devastated the island
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KP – another Tamil prisoner convicted of arson and sexual assault – will remain on Diego Garcia to complete his sentence, who has between six and eight weeks left to serve.
A third migrant, who is known as AC, has remained on Diego Garcia under criminal investigation.
Reuben Meade, the premier of Montserrat, confirmed the island had struck a deal to accommodate prisoners from Diego Garcia.
He told local media outlets: “They have a problem. They want us to help us to resolve that problem, and we are putting up our hands and saying, yes, we will help you to solve that problem, but under certain conditions.”
However, Meade declined to disclose what Montserrat would receive in return.
He added: “What I can assure you is that those prisoners, once they have served their sentences, they will have to leave Montserrat.”
