Barbara Osmanovic, USA News: A migrant criminal who stole money from a disabled woman cannot be deported because she is “culturally and socially integrated” in Britain, an immigration judge has ruled. Barbara Osmanovic, 40, who has 13 previous convictions, arrived in Britain from Kosovo in 2000 with her family before obtaining leave to remain six years later.
An immigration tribunal was informed that the heroin and cocaine addict’s criminal record began almost immediately after she arrived in the country. Evidence presented suggested Osmanovic has made little positive contribution during her 26-year stay in Britain. The 40-year-old reportedly worked several cleaning jobs in Birmingham and Manchester, including stints at Poundland and B&M stores, though she held many roles for only a matter of days.
Of Roma heritage, the Kosovan migrant targeted vulnerable people in what was described as a mean campaign of theft. Osmanovic previously stole £1,640 from a wheelchair-bound woman by approaching her, snatching her purse, and using her bank card. She also targeted a pensioner shopping at an M&S store, carried a knife in a Premier Inn car park, and attempted to break into another woman’s home. In April 2023, she was sentenced to two and a half years in prison after being convicted of theft, fraud, attempted burglary, and knife possession.
Following her convictions, the Home Office initiated efforts to remove Osmanovic from Britain due to her persistent offending. However, an immigration tribunal allowed her to remain, and a subsequent appeal by the Home Office was rejected. The presiding judge concluded that returning Osmanovic to Kosovo would be unduly harsh under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which protects the right to respect for private and family life.
The tribunal heard that the 40-year-old would struggle to adapt to her homeland because she does not speak Albanian, lacks a support network in Kosovo, and would find it difficult to obtain necessary documentation for healthcare and lawful residence. The judge added that deportation would be unfair given her history of mental health struggles, deformed feet, and the risk of homelessness. Osmanovic did not attend her appeal hearing because her solicitors could not reach her without a working phone. Defense counsel previously acknowledged her sorry history of offending, noting that her theft and fraud offences were driven by her drug addiction.
