Speaking after questioning the Justice Secretary in Parliament, Carla Lockhart MP said:

“I raised this case because public safety must always come first. A 26 year old migrant was found guilty in Northern Ireland of sexually assaulting a 15 year old boy. Yet police refused to publish an image of the offender, leaving communities in the dark about who he is and whether there are wider safeguarding concerns.

When I put this directly to the Justice Secretary, his response was simply to hide behind process and claim it was a devolved issue. That is not good enough. Deportation is a reserved matter. It lies firmly with the UK Government and with this Parliament. Passing the buck does nothing to protect children or reassure the public.

I am sick and tired of woolly words and weak answers. People want action. Any migrant found guilty of serious sexual offences should be removed from this country. Full stop. There must be zero tolerance when it comes to protecting children and vulnerable people.

I have now written directly to the Justice Minister in Northern Ireland and to the Police Service, pressing for clarity on why the offender’s image was not released and what steps are being taken to safeguard the public. Transparency matters. Community confidence matters.

If the Government is serious about law and order, then it must act decisively. This means swift deportation for foreign nationals convicted of serious crimes and a clear commitment to putting public safety ahead of political excuses. I will continue to press this issue until we see real action, not empty reassurances.”