A young man has told of his relief after his deportation fight with the Home Office ended.
Anthonell Peccoo had his original hearing in March, when the judge ruled in his favour and said he was able to stay in the UK. The Home Office then appealed the decision, but this first appeal was dismissed.
Mr Peccoo - who was born in Jamaica but has lived in the UK since he was six - said the Home Office has decided not to go to a second appeal and that his visa is now being processed, adding he doesn't know how long that will take.
Read more: Bristol hairdresser fights deportation to a country he doesn't remember
"I am not worried, I am just fed up of waiting," said the 27-year-old. "My energy for things is very high now - there is so much stuff that I am doing or planning to do.
"I am putting together a business proposal as I will be able to work once I get the visa. I will also be able to rent somewhere, have a bank account and go on holiday abroad. It will be life-changing for me.
"I feel a sense of relief now as I will be able to feel like I am an adult and not an overgrown teenager. I will have my responsibilities instead of having to wait for other people. I feel like I am going to get my independence at last."
Mr Peccoo - who is living in a Christian community house in St Pauls - was first made aware the Home Office would seek to deport him to Jamaica seven years ago after being convicted for grievous bodily harm (GBH) and drug offences. Coming out of prison in 2017 after serving two years in jail, Mr Peccoo had been seeking asylum in the country on various grounds including having family in the UK and threat to life in Jamaica.
However, his asylum claim was denied by the Home Office in April last year, which reactivated the deportation proceedings, and more than 35,000 people then signed a petition calling for a stop to his deportation. Many across Bristol joined calls for the Home Office to stop the deportation, including Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees who wrote a reference backing him.
The ongoing battle has taken a huge toll on him, he said, and led to him suffering with depression.
"It has been a long seven years of waiting where I could not see an end in sight, I could just have given up and gone to Jamaica," he continued. "If I didn't have support around, I would just have gone to Jamaica as it would have been too much.
"I am just so grateful for the support I have received and how they have held my chin up, fought alongside me and made me not give up."
The young man - who until now has not been able to work or claim benefits due to his immigration status - runs a hairdresser from the corner of a shop, Happytat, on Stokes Croft, with all the money he makes going to the charity.
A Home Office spokesperson said: “This Government puts the rights of the British public before those of dangerous criminals, and we are clear that foreign criminals should be deported from the UK wherever it is legal and practical to do so. Since January 2019 we have removed over 10,000 foreign criminals.
“All claims are fully considered and decided upon before removal and we would not remove anyone where there were outstanding claims or concerns.”
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