He decided my house was ugly so had huge earth banks pushed up from the field behind me to block the view. His security guards shone their truck headlights into our windows at night. Trump said my neighbour Michael Forbes “lives like a pig”. There was a summer of intense campaigning and eventually the threat of compulsory purchase was temporarily lifted – they would build around us. I was under the impression that they could only be used for roads or railways – not for Donald Trump’s golf course. We found out that Trump had applied to the council for compulsory purchase orders. Then, in about 2008, things started to get messy. There were only a few houses on the proposed development and it didn’t take long for us to work out what was going on. A nasty clubhouse is off to my right and, beyond that, holes one to nine.Īt first people working for Trump pretended they wanted to move to the area and made pathetic offers. Now I look out on to the 10th tee and the 18th green. It was a pristine natural environment, and supposedly a site of special scientific interest. I used to have a clear view of 30 miles of coast, from Peterhead down to Aberdeen, where I’m from. I’ve put blood, sweat and tears into these walls. It’s a former coastguard’s station I bought 25 years ago and extended with my own hands. Hiri was represented by Raza Halim of Garden Court Chambers and solicitor Toufique Hossain of Duncan Lewis.Donald Trump first tried to buy my house about 10 years ago. For other people who are not sure what to do – don’t roll yourself up in a ball and give up. “For me, the decision is up to the home office now. Hiri, who lives in a Veterans Aid hostel in Limehouse, east London, wants others in his situation not to give up. They found me a lawyer, a place to live, and they even gave me vouchers to buy winter clothes.” I had no home, and these people have helped me so much. Visibly moved, Hiri said: “When I talk about what the Veterans Aid has done for me, I find it hard to fight back tears. The application and appeal system is slow, lengthy, complicated and costly – it makes no provision for sustaining those awaiting outcomes.” As a result he could neither rent nor buy property and was faced with homelessness and destitution. “He was unable to work or claim benefits. ‘LEGALLY FLAWED’: Home Secretary Theresa May He was also alone, which compounded the problem. He was extremely downhearted when he first came to Veterans Aid. In the midst of his plight, Hiri was referred to Veterans Aid, a charity caring for veterans in crisis.Ĭhief executive Dr Hugh Milroy said: “Knowing that the country he had served honourably as a member of the British Army considered him of ‘bad character’ because he had a speeding conviction shocked and demoralised Poloko. If he had been deported, Hiri would be facing up to 25 years in jail back in Botswana, as enlisting in a foreign army is a criminal offence, which he said he didn’t know at the time.ĭuring the court battle, the 33-year-old was not allowed to study, work or claim benefits. “It’s ok to kick criminals out of the country. “It’s a horrible feeling to know that people are doing worse things than me but I’m being treated like this. I’m not making any excuses, but it was just miscalculated justice.ĬOURT VICTORY: Former military man Poloko Hiri, 33 of Botswana successfully challenged a decision to deport him over a speeding ticket Hiri told The Voice: “I was driving 81 mph on a motorway at 1 a.m. Hiri sent a request to reconsider and his boss even wrote a letter of recommendation for the soldier, describing him as an “intelligent, motivated and hardworking soldier” with an “exemplary record of conduct.”ĭespite this, Secretary of State Theresa May repeatedly asserted that Hiri was not of “good character”, due to his speeding fine of £100 dating back to April 2011. Hiri said: “The reason I applied to become a British citizen in the first place was because I had experienced a great way of life while living here.”įour months after his application was sent, the Home Office rejected it claiming a previous driving offence on his record was a sign of “bad character.” His dream was to study in the UK after his service ended.īut on February 18, the High Court heard that the Secretary of State’s “decision-making process was legally flawed” and has set out that she should “reconsider her decision in accordance with the law.” He applied for citizenship in early 2012, ahead of his army leaving date in August. Poloko Hiri, 33, from Botswana served in the UK military for four years. VETERAN: Poloko Hiri served in the British armyĪ WAR veteran who was facing deportation and jail because of a speeding fine has won a court battle against the Home Secretary’s decision to kick him out the country.
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