A YOUNG Australian family fighting to remain in Scotland are living in fear of a dawn raid by private “border patrol” types after receiving a phone call from a UK Government contractor claiming to be from the Home Office.
Gregg and Kathryn Brain and their son Lachlan, seven, have lived in Dingwall for more than four years, and faced having to go back to Australia to reapply for indefinite leave to stay here following a problem with the visa regulations.
They came to Scotland nearly five years ago as part of an initiative to repopulate the Highlands. Lachlan – whose first language is Gaelic – is settled at school and is an active member of the Gaelic community.
The family were told they’d have to leave, but Immigration Minister James Brokenshire gave them an extension until the end of this month after meeting their MP Ian Blackford.
Gregg is now awaiting news of a job that would enable them to go through the visa and sponsorship process and would allow them to continue to live here.
On Wednesday, Kathryn received a text on her mobile, which stated: “Message from the Home Office. Our records show that you may not have leave to remain in the UK. Please contact us on 0844 3654636 to discuss your case.”
Gregg said a web search revealed the number belonged to Capita, a bounty-hunting contractor that works for the UK Government.
“Kathryn rang the number three times,” said Gregg. “The first two times the number was engaged.
“On the third try, the phone was answered by a robot saying that she had contacted Capita, all their agents were busy, and someone would be with her shortly. After a few minutes on hold, she hung up, not wanting to add to our host’s phone bill.”
However, it was the second event yesterday that the couple found more troubling.
“We were on the road this morning, and received a call from a lady claiming to be from the Home Office,” said Gregg. “We had no reason to think she was lying, especially when she mentioned a Leeds address for us as our immigration lawyer’s office is in Leeds. We were therefore happy to provide information when she requested it for a ‘security check’ to confirm she was speaking to Mr and Mrs Brain before informing us of the purpose of the call.
“She asked us for our up to date address, which we gave. The call then dropped out. When we rang it back, it was not the Home Office at all, but this same Capita company, and the same robophone which would not put us through to a person.
“It seems that the only purpose of the call was to trick us into giving our address. I’m very disappointed that we were lied to, and tricked into giving information to which Capita has no right, given that we have leave to remain.”
He said it was especially worrying that the Home Office appeared to be giving tacit approval to these tactics.
Kathryn said: “We’re particularly concerned that given Capita’s willingness to use misinformation, and apparent disregard for privacy and appropriate processes, that false information may adversely affect Gregg’s current job application, with catastrophic consequences.”
Gregg added: “Kathryn’s also now terrified of the prospect of a dawn raid by private ‘border patrol’ types, arresting us and traumatising Lachlan before we’d be given the opportunity to set things right.
Blackford, the MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber, told The National that Capita’s behaviour was “completely unacceptable”.
“I’m writing to the company’s chief executive, calling on him to investigate this behaviour and [to find out] on whose authority they were acting. It is unacceptable for them to treat the family in this way when they have a perfectly valid extension allowing them to be here.”
A spokesman from the Home Office said: "The Home Office has a contract with Capita who, on behalf of the Government, make contact with those individuals who appear to have no legal basis to remain in the UK.
"In this instance the Minister granted a period of grace to allow the family time to regularise their stay. Unfortunately a Home Office administrative error meant that a note to this affect was not recorded against the records of one member of the family. As such that family member's details were included on the list of individuals for Capita to contact.
"A note indicating the extended grace period has now been added to records relating to all of the Brain family."
A spokesman for Capita said it would not comment until it had an opportunity to investigate the allegations.
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