A 14-year-old boy who was secretly taken to Ghana by his parents has won a major legal victory in a UK court, after appealing a decision that had allowed them to keep him there.
The teenager, who has lived in London all his life, was flown to Ghana in March 2024 under the false belief that a relative was ill. In reality, his parents feared he was getting involved in crime and wanted to remove him from bad influences in the UK.
But once in Ghana, the boy said he was unhappy, isolated, and struggling to fit in. He described his experience as “living in hell,” saying he was mocked at school and couldn’t understand what was going on. Despite being only 14, he took legal action with the help of lawyers, arguing that he wanted to come back to the UK.
Initially, the High Court sided with his parents, saying they were acting out of love and concern for his safety. The judge at the time said their fears about gang involvement and knife crime were reasonable.
But on Thursday, the Court of Appeal overturned that decision, saying the original judge did not properly consider the boy’s own views and welfare. Senior judge Sir Andrew McFarlane said the court had concerns about how the earlier decision was made and ruled that the case should be heard again by a different judge.
The boy’s lawyer, Deirdre Fottrell KC, told the court her client feels abandoned and “desperate” to return home. “He considers himself a British boy, a London boy,” she said.
His solicitor, James Netto, called the ruling “hugely significant” and said it highlights the need to listen to young people in cases that affect their lives deeply.
However, the parents’ lawyer, Rebecca Foulkes, argued that staying in Ghana was the “least harmful” option, saying it provided safety away from dangerous influences in London.
The court case raises difficult questions about parental responsibility and a child’s right to make decisions about their own life. A new hearing will take place in the coming weeks to fully consider the matter.
The boy remains in Ghana for now and is attending a day school. A full written decision is expected soon.
