Dzhuneyt Shefket, a 31-year-old man, killed his mother and little brother in Bulgaria but was allowed to stay in the UK after claiming he was too anxious to return to his home country.
In 2012, when Shefket was 18, he attacked his 36-year-old mother, Nevdzhin, and his 6-year-old brother, Yeniz, with what was described as “extreme violence.” A tribunal later revealed that the victims were “completely defenceless.” Shefket was convicted of murder and spent five years in prison.
After finishing his prison sentence, he moved to the UK in 2017 under EU free movement rules, which allowed citizens from European Union countries to live and work freely in other member states.
However, when he arrived in the UK, he did not tell authorities about his convictions in Bulgaria. By hiding his criminal past, he increased his chances of being allowed to stay.
In 2019, Shefket applied for permission to live permanently in the UK. The Home Office denied his application and began deportation proceedings, arguing that he should not remain in the country because of his serious criminal record.
However, Shefket appealed the decision, saying that the idea of going back to Bulgaria made him feel very anxious and stressed because he is a convicted murderer there.
During the tribunal, details of his crimes were shared. The court heard how Shefket murdered his family “in cold blood” and used “extreme violence.” Despite these horrific details, an immigration judge initially ruled that Shefket was not a serious threat to others and allowed him to stay in the UK.
This decision caused outrage, and the Home Office fought back. The ruling was overturned, and deportation proceedings were restarted. Shefket is now expected to be sent back to Bulgaria.
This case has sparked a debate about how criminals with serious convictions are able to enter and stay in the UK under previous EU rules and whether stricter measures are needed to prevent similar situations in the future.
