Mother and Irish-born daughter freed on bail

A MOTHER and her Irish-born child, who had been detained in Britain for more than two weeks, have been released on bail after a Scottish politician offered them a place to stay.

Mercy Ikolo and her one-year-old daughter Percielez had been held in the detention centre in Lanarkshire since they were picked up by immigration officials as they were returning to their home in Dublin following a visit to Scotland.

At a hearing yesterday, the mother and daughter were released on bail before a lawyer for the 32-year-old Cameroon woman and her Dublin-born child could argue the detention of the youngster was in breach of the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child.

They will live with Scottish Socialist MSP Rosie Kane after being allowed to leave the Dungavel detention centre. The pair, who have been held at the facility since August 17, were granted bail on a bond of £100 after the Home Office said it did not object to the family staying with Ms Kane.

The MSP said: “I am pleased that Mercy and her daughter will be able to leave Dungavel detention centre. I’m saddened they were ever in there in the first place,” she added.

The 32-year-old moved to Dublin two years ago and her daughter was born in Ireland last July. She was applying for residency here on that basis. “Mercy and her daughter are more than welcome to stay with me for as long as necessary,” said Ms Kane. Ms Ikolo was initially told that they would be deported to Uganda and she and her daughter were taken to the airport. But they were returned to Dungavel after she protested. Officials claimed she was detained because the authorities here did not want Ms Ikolo to return here.

The Department of Foreign Affairs said it was in touch with the British authorities about the case.