Britain wants Australia to keep British criminals

Two hundred years ago its worst citizens were transported to the other side of the world, creating Australia in the process - now cash-strapped Britain wants its former colony to again keep its criminals. In the past 12 months, dozens of British-born paedophiles, rapists and career criminals - many aged in their late 50s and 60s - were deported to the UK after finishing their sentences in Australian jails, despite having lived most of their lives in Australia.

Among them was notorious paedophile Raymond Horne, who had to be given a police escort through Heathrow Airport amid British outrage over his forced return from Queensland. UK campaigners fear that a lack of connection to their former homeland, including no support base of family and friends, makes the serial offenders more likely to reoffend.

A British Government report revealed it costs an estimated $100,000 a year to watch and house each deported "foreign" individual. Now a number of high-profile and influential welfare groups and charities are set to mount a campaign to have laws changed. Privately many British MPs agree and a parliamentary debate on the issue is expected soon. Australia last year jettisoned more than 60 criminals to countries of origin, mostly the UK and New Zealand.



UK child welfare campaigner Shy Keenan said while offenders had court-backed restrictions in Australia that would have them back behind bars if breached, once they were deported to the UK the ability to restrict their actions was limited.

She called on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown to raise the issue with his Australian counterpart Kevin Rudd.

"It's just not fair, Australia," she said. "In law they do belong here, in essence they are British citizens, but whether they are morally or ethically British is another argument. In law Australia has now found a way to kick them back to us."