A 14-year-old boy who took his parents to court over their decision to relocate him from London to Ghana for boarding school has lost his case at the High Court in London. The teenager, described as a shy but articulate boy with a passion for football and cooking, claimed his parents deceived him by telling him they were traveling to visit a sick relative, only for him to later realize he was being left in Ghana to continue his education.
In his statement to the court, the boy expressed deep frustration, saying, “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 recounted feeling out of place at the Ghanaian school, struggling to understand the curriculum, getting into fights, and feeling mocked by his peers. In desperation, he reached out to the British High Commission in Accra and the charity Children and Family Across Borders, which eventually connected him with legal representation.
The teenager argued that his education was suffering, stating that he had been studying online since last summer and that classes in Ghana were not as intellectually stimulating as those in the UK. “I want to have an education again and grow up like a normal person. I feel like my brain is hurt here. I feel like now I am dumber than people I used to be smarter than,” he wrote in his statement.
His parents, however, maintained that their decision was made out of love and concern for his safety. The court heard that they were alarmed by signs suggesting he might be getting drawn into gang culture in London. His father, speaking candidly in court, said, “We did not want our son to be yet another Black teenager stabbed to death in the streets of London.”
Their concerns were echoed by the boy’s school in London, which had reported suspicions of his involvement in criminal activities. According to the school, he had been seen with expensive clothing and multiple mobile phones, and his behavior matched 11 warning signs identified by the NSPCC for children at risk of criminal exploitation.
His mother, devastated by the possibility of losing her son to street violence, referenced the tragic murder of 14-year-old Kelyan Bokassa, who was stabbed to death on a bus in Woolwich. She told the court, “That is every parent’s worst nightmare. I did not believe my son would survive in the UK, and I did not want to be part of his destruction.”
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After reviewing the case, Justice Hayden ruled in favor of the parents, stating that their decision to send their son to Ghana was “driven by their deep, obvious, and unconditional love.” He acknowledged the emotional difficulty of the case but concluded that the boy faced a greater risk of harm if he returned to the UK.
The judge noted that while the teenager denied gang involvement, his parents’ concerns were not unfounded. He pointed out that the boy had shown an “unhealthy interest in knives” and had, at the very least, “peripheral involvement with gang culture.”
Despite the ruling, the boy’s lawyer, James Netto from the International Family Law Group, said the teenager was devastated by the outcome and was considering his next steps. “This has been a real shock to him. He was incredibly disappointed and upset,” Netto stated.
Following the judgment, Netto revealed that cases like this are becoming more common, with an increasing number of teenagers seeking legal help to return to the UK. “Teenagers are often placed in exceptionally challenging or vulnerable situations and are now beginning to turn to the court for protection,” he said.
The boy’s father, who recently visited him in Ghana, suggested enrolling him in a different boarding school, which they toured together. He claimed they were both impressed with the school, though admission would not be available until September, and his son had not explicitly agreed to attend.
For now, the parents say they are focused on moving forward as a family. In a statement after the ruling, they said, “This has been a really difficult time for us all. Our priority has always been protecting our son.”
