Man sent back to France under ‘one in, one out’ scheme returns to UK on small boat

He says he is a victim of modern slavery.

The Guardian reports that the man, who wanted to claim asylum in the UK, is now being held in a UK immigration detention centre and says that he is a victim of modern slavery at the hands of smugglers in France.

Speaking to The Guardian, the man said: “When we were returned to France we were taken to a shelter in Paris. I didn’t dare to go out because I was afraid for my life. The smugglers are very dangerous.

"They always carry weapons and knives. I fell into the trap of a human trafficking network in the forests of France before I crossed to the UK from France the first time.

“They took me like a worthless object, forced me to work, abused me, and threatened me with a gun and told me I would be killed if I made the slightest protest.

“Every day and every night I was filled with terror and stress. Every day I live in fear and anxiety, every loud noise, every shadow, every strange face scares me.

“When I reached UK the first time and Home Office asked what had happened to me I was crying and couldn’t speak about this because of shame.”

He added that if he felt 'France was safe' he 'would never have returned to the UK'.