A 13 year-old orphan again faces the threat of deportation to a country he doesn’t know, after his temporary residency permit with his grandmother has expired.

In 2018, Giorgi Kakava, from Springburn, in Glasgow, was granted a 30 month residency to stay with his gran, Ketino, following a campaign led by local church minister, Brian Casey.

The permit expired in December and Rev Casey has called on the boy to given permanent residency.

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He is facing deportation to Georgia, the former Soviet Union republic but lawyers acting for the family have applied for a new residency order for the boy and his gran.

Giorgi came to Scotland, aged three, with his mother Sopio Baikhadze, who fled to Glasgow in 2011 because she feared that gangsters whom her late husband owed a debt to would either kill him or sell him to sex traffickers.

Glasgow Times:

Sopio died aged 35, in 2018, following an illness leaving Giorgi with no parents, being looked after by his Grandmother.

Rev Casey, of Springburn Parish church said: “The Home Office granted him and his grandmother residency permits for 30-months each but they have now expired and now we have a second-year high school pupil living on borrowed time, which is frankly horrendous.

“This is a human rights issue and I hope people will sign the petition and join me in urging Home Secretary Priti Patel to look at this case with compassion, decency and common sense.

“After Giorgi’s mother died, the local community rallied around him and the outpouring of love and concern was overwhelming.

“Despite having a very tough start to life, he has grown into a fine young man and I have been so inspired by his progress.

“He loves football, boxing and is good at maths and science.

“Giorgi is a delight to be around and I fully believe that if we support him now, he will become an asset to our country in the future.”

Glasgow Times:

The campaign is also backed by Bruce Adamson, Scotland Children’s Commissioner.

He said: “Before decisions are made about a child’s immigration and asylum status, their human rights and best interests must be at the heart of decision making.

“Decisions should take into account the impact on the full range of the child's human rights, including rights to an education, to respect for private and family life, and to mental health, as well as their ability to adjust to life in what is, to them, a foreign country.

“Where a child has spent the majority of their childhood in Scotland, it is unlikely to be in their best interests to return them to a country they have limited or no memory of."

The case was raised at Holyrood by SNP MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, Bob Doris, and at Westminster by former Labour Glasgow North East MP, Paul Sweeney.

Dr Tracy Kirk, a children’s rights expert at Glasgow Caledonian University, said: “Scotland has ambitions to be the best place in the world to grow up.

“Giorgi has enjoyed growing up here and wants to make this his permanent home.

“I really do hope that his human rights are central to the decision-making process which will determine his future.

“Giorgi is an asset to his community and to our country.”

A Home Office spokeswoman said: “It is wrong to claim we are threatening to remove either Ms Batkhadze or her grandson.  

“They were granted limited leave to remain in the UK and currently have a further application outstanding, which we are processing.

“They will be updated as soon as possible about their application.”