Grandmother with Alzheimer's faces deportation from Sweden

A pensioner with Alzheimer's faces being divided from her household and deported to the UK from Sweden, aft astir 2 decades successful the country.

Sweden has ordered British-born Kathleen Poole, 74, to permission aft her exertion to stay successful the state post-Brexit was not accepted, her household told the BBC.

They said it was "disgraceful" Sweden wants to deport the grandmother.

The Swedish authorities said authorities are successful interaction with the family.

Mrs Poole - who moved from Macclesfield, Cheshire, astir 2 decades agone to Sweden to beryllium person to her household - is presently bedbound and receives round-the-clock attraction successful a location wherever she has been surviving for the past 10 years.

The grandmother-of-four's household was told successful September 2022 she would beryllium deported, contempt making her exertion for Swedish residence presumption earlier the December 2021 deadline brought astir by the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

Her household said her exertion was rejected due to the fact that she did not person a valid British passport - which they said she did not request arsenic she could not question owed to her mediocre wellness - and contempt sick notes from doctors.

Speaking to the BBC, daughter-in-law Angelica said: "I sent six doctors' notes. I sent idiosyncratic letters explaining the concern and it wasn't bully enough.

"In the extremity they said 'sorry' you person to permission the country.

"Then they wanted america to publication her a formation to the UK, which we refused. So present the British embassy are having to look for accommodation and the constabulary are connected their backs.

"I deliberation it's disgraceful truly however you tin deport idiosyncratic who is sick and instrumentality her from her family. She's 1 of the nicest radical you volition ever meet."

The household are present hoping a sick enactment from a doctor, who has visited Mrs Poole successful idiosyncratic astatine her attraction home, volition transportation the Swedish Migration Agency to reopen the case. But successful the meantime, Angelica said her children stay disquieted sick that the grandma whitethorn beryllium sent distant from them.

"It's not quality to divided idiosyncratic bedridden from her family," Angelica added.

"All this is owed to Brexit. The mode I spot it she's lived present for 19 years this year.

MP Hilary Benn, erstwhile Brexit Select Committee chair, has urged the UK overseas secretary, James Cleverly, to intervene successful the case.

He said: "The continuing menace by the Swedish authorities to deport this frail aged pistillate is heartless and inexplicable.

"It is besides successful wide breach of the EU/UK Withdrawal Agreement which promised to support citizens' rights."

The follow-on authorities from Brexit, which ended state of movement, allowed UK citizens to use to permanently unrecorded successful EU countries they were nonmigratory successful and the different mode round.

David Milstead, portion of the British successful Sweden run group, told the BBC helium was disappointed but not amazed by Mrs Poole's lawsuit and that the UK and European Commission needed to look astatine the wider contented successful the Scandinavian nation.

He said: "Sweden's attack to implementing the Withdrawal Agreement has led to a batch of long-standing residents being forced retired of their homes.

"Sweden has issued much deportation notices to UK nationals during 2021-2022 than immoderate different EU country.

"This is successful spite of the Withdrawal Agreement containing protections that should guarantee that radical similar Mrs Poole get to stay. These protections intelligibly aren't working."

In a statement, Sweden's Minister of Migration Maria Malmer Stenergard said: "Decisions related to residence applications are applied straight by the Swedish authorities agencies and courts successful enactment with the EU-UK Withdrawal Agreement.

"As laid down successful the constitution, the Swedish authorities is not permitted to interfere successful oregon remark connected idiosyncratic decisions taken by these autarkic authorities bodies.

"With respect to the lawsuit successful question, I person been informed that the Swedish Migration Agency is successful interaction with the household concerning further information."

A UK Foreign Office spokesperson said: "We are supporting a British pistillate and her household successful Sweden."