An asylum seeker has been jailed for the fifth time in two years for criminal damage – despite being told last year he faced being deported following his third conviction.
Iranian Farhad Hosnavi, 27, who arrived in the UK illegally in a small boat, targeted an asylum hotel three times and a police station twice.
One offence happened within hours of being released from prison.
The farcical situation arose despite Hosnavi stating he is ‘begging the Home Office to take him back to Germany’, where he had settled status previously.
His lawyer said he was carrying out the offences – which have cost more than £10,000 in damage, not including court time and prison costs – as he wants to go to jail because he no longer has accommodation.
During his latest court appearance in Norwich yesterday, magistrates ignored a presumption that his sentence would be suspended and jailed him for eight weeks because he was ‘deemed a danger to the public’.
The revolving door of justice began in January 2024 when Hosnavi was kicked out of a Holiday Inn Express Hotel, which was being used as an asylum hotel at the time, after he was found with a knife.
He returned there in April that year and damaged the property, leading to a short jail term.
A month after his release, he travelled back to the hotel and smashed some windows.
On December 3 – the day he was released from prison having served his second prison sentence, this time for 16-weeks – he smashed 14 windows at the same hotel with rocks, while shouting ‘F**k the police’.
In May last year, Hosnavi was jailed for 12-months after the magistrates court heard he had caused £5,000 of damage and staff were complaining they no longer felt safe because of the repeat attacks.
District Judge Andrew Shaw told the defendant the sentence would trigger automatic deportation procedures – although he added the decision ultimately rested with the Home Office.
The judge noted there were ‘good political and human rights reasons’ why he could not be sent to some countries but said Hosnavi, of no fixed abode, had ‘expressed a desire to return to Germany’.
He was not deported after serving his time, however, and on April 28 this year went to Bethel Street police station where he smashed the automatic main entrance doors.
That resulted in an eight-week sentence and he was released on May 26 – four days before he returned to the police station and smashed the doors again.
The two attacks caused £5,000 of damage.
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Hosnavi admitted the latest criminal damage offence yesterday and was handed the latest term behind bars.
Prosecutor Sarah Fiddy told the court there were aggravating features, namely it was committed while on license and because of the history of similar incidents.
Julie Adams, defending, said: ‘He is frustrated by the lack of accommodation and homelessness.
‘He had no intention of hurting anyone but just simply wants to go back to prison.’
Hosnavi’s application for asylum was still being assessed by the Home Office, she added.
The Home Office was approached for a comment.
