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'Gay' mum fights to stay in Britain
A MUM living in Barnsley who claims she was forced to flee her native Cameroon because she is gay is facing deportation - because officials don't believe she is a lesbian.
Mum-of-one Estelle Ngabeu claims she fled to England after her relationship was discovered by her lover's husband, a policeman. She says when the affair was exposed she was arrested and raped in her prison cell by officers.
The 27-year-old says she was released after a relative paid a bribe - and fled the country after the policeman threatened to kill her.
Estelle, who lives in Upper Sheffield Road in Barnsley town centre, was by this time pregnant, and gave birth to Freddy, now aged one, after arriving in England in February 2009.
She said: "I chose to have Freddy even though I was scared. He is a good, beautiful child and makes me happy, even though the event that brought him to me was so horrible. I do not know how I can prove that I will love women and not men, especially as I have Freddy. I am afraid of the terrible things that could happen if I am deported."
Now her friends have launched a campaign to try to prevent her being sent home. They have raised a 200-signature petition to send to Theresa May at the Home Office.
Yvonne Cass, of the Northern Refugee Centre in Sheffield, said Estelle had received sexual violence counselling from a professional who believed her story.
She added: "Estelle would definitely go to prison on her return, we are worried that she could face worse than that." Estelle's application for refugee status was turned down after the UK Border Agency and an immigration judge disputed her claim to be a lesbian.
A UK Border Agency spokeswoman said: "An immigration judge agreed with the Agency's position. The UKBA considers all cases on their individual merits and those with a well-founded fear of persecution or serious harm will be granted protection."
The Government recently stated it would stop the deportation of asylum seekers who face imprisonment, torture or execution because of their sexual orientation.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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