Jamaican Who was Saved from Deportation by BA passengers is a Violent Drug Dealer

By Martin Evans | January 17, 2024 | MSN

A Jamaican gangster spared deportation when passengers on a British Airways flight led a revolt, has been identified as a violent drug dealer jailed for his role in a gun battle on the streets of Birmingham.

Lawrence Morgan was convicted of firearms offences in 2021 and was due to be kicked out of Britain in November.

But his lawful deportation was abandoned at the last moment when passengers, who were unaware of his convictions, staged an intervention by refusing to sit down for take off.

Morgan, who took part in a deadly gangland shootout in a packed Birmingham street, is one of a number of foreign criminals whose removal from the country has been frustrated by campaigners and members of the public.

Full horror of crimes

His identity and convictions had not been revealed previously, but now the full horror of his crimes has been revealed, it will further fuel anger over the campaign to keep him in the country.

The Home Secretary is said to be considering new measures to prevent passengers blocking deportation flights in the future.

Morgan came to Britain from Jamaica in the early 2000s on a visitor’s visa and moved to Birmingham where he became involved with one of the city’s violent gangs, vying for control of the lucrative drugs trade.

In 2016, he was sentenced to five years and ten months in prison after being found in possession of a firearm and crack cocaine and heroin.

The following year, he was given a two-year concurrent sentence for supplying class A drugs as part of a county lines operation running into Oxfordshire.

In 2018, the Government launched the first of a number of bids to remove him from the UK but they were frustrated by a string of challenges and appeals from human rights lawyers.

In 2020, Morgan was out of prison and took part in a shootout in the Lozells district of the city following the gangland execution of one of his associates.

At least 13 shots were fired on a busy street and one man died as a result.

Morgan was acquitted of murder and attempted murder but was jailed for five years after admitting possessing a firearm.

Despite using the European Convention on Human Rights to battle deportation, claiming a “right to family life”, Morgan was given notice that he was to be removed from the UK last year.

On Nov 10, hr was placed on board a Boeing 777 British Airways flight from Gatwick to Kingston, Jamaica.

Struggling in seat

But before the flight was able to take off Morgan began struggling and passengers, who were unaware of his background, complained to the BA crew about his treatment.

A group refused to sit down and eventually the captain abandoned take off and returned to the terminal.

Morgan was removed from the flight and is understood to be being held at a detention center.

James Cleverly, the Home Secretary, is understood to be considering ways to prevent passengers from disrupting lawful deportations.

A source close to Mr Cleverly said: “This is an outrageous situation. We will be looking at new ways to handle this issue.”

  Caribbean, Deportation, drug dealer, Jamaica