Customs and Border Control Director Charles Clifford has confirmed that all five individuals who arrived on Cayman Brac yesterday aboard an undeclared sailing vessel are currently in the custody of his officers. Appearing on Radio Cayman on Wednesday, Clifford said the five people, including a baby girl, appear to be from different countries and CBC officers are currently trying to determine and verify their nationalities.
The vessel arrived in Cayman Brac waters without prior clearance or the submission of the required manifesto and moored around 150 feet offshore on the northwest coast of Cayman Brac near Scotts Dock
And
Alongside customs and police officers, the Department of Children and Family Services is also involved due to the presence of an infant.
Trying to verify their nationalities. Well that would be simple if everyone on the boat had a passport. So I think we have established that not everyone on the boat had a passport. Which would fit with Clive having done a runner rather than do a DNA test and sorted his 'daughter' a British passport.
Like they did previously they've crossed an international border, but not done so properly in line with required entry requirements. If you remember correctly Clive had a bit of a meltdown at this concept before as if he believed that there weren't such a thing in the Caribbean and how awful it was that he was being discriminated against about it.
I also note that now he has a second child, involved with social services. This child may or may not be his. And may or may not be effectively stateless at this point because no one can establish her identity or nationality because it doesn't sound like the documentation of those on board is in order.
Oh dear.
Best case scenario here is they aren't done for people trafficking and the government just tries to deport them. Best case.
I suspect Clive possibly can't get Iullia back into the UK at this point. She's Ukrainian. If she's not returned to the UK since the baby was born it's likely her visa status is now potentially void. She was in the UK pre war I believe and the whole reason Clive had to do a DNA test was because she wasnt a British Citizen. And the war related visa scheme for family has now ended. The homes for Ukraine is still running but if they are married she may not be eligible if Clive requests the visa. She would then have to apply for entry as his partner. That would require him being able to show he earned over a certain threshold. So I think she's potentially pretty fucked. If his older child has been taken into care, he's unlikely to be approved anyway as a suitable sponsor.
The foreign office must be despairing of Clive. When the call comes through and someone in the office goes 'oh god it's Clive again' everyone must know who they are talking about. His file must be huge. They aren't going to give a recommendation to be supportive of Iullia. Is it in the best interests of their older daughter for Iullia to return to the UK? Well they've abandoned the older daughter and I doubt they are likely to regain custody, so it's probably going to be irrelevant.
Even if Clive does now do a DNA test and the baby is proven to be his, what happens? If the baby is British and Ukrainian then there's two options - but if the Cayman authorities decide this pair are unsuitable parents (phonecall to the British Authorities which demonstrates that the older child is in care will sort that) then the decision is likely to be taken away from Clive and Iullia. No DNA test and the baby goes to Ukraine (except it can't). DNA test and the baby goes into care in the UK. If Clive is non cooperative I don't know what they do. Potentially because the older daughter is in care they can establish if she has a full sister because consent isn't required from parents but from carers/state. If they can't determine the baby is British, the baby is likely to go into care in the Caymans following discussions with the British.
At this stage is that the Caymans probably can't deport Iullia to Ukraine for obvious reasons. I doubt the UK will except her. So she's probably stranded too. Clive is liable to ultimately be deported to the UK. Quite what happens if he has no passport to stick a big deported stamp in his passport I'm not sure. (They'd have to issue an emergency passport to get him back to the UK). Having a deportation stamp on his passport is unlikely to pass favour with any Caribbean nation. They will refuse entry if he tries to fly back to rejoin Iullia. Of course this assumes he keeps his passport. Which I suspect is now unlikely given his track record. It's not in the public interest to allow him to keep it, because Clive is a liability abroad.
There is no legal right to a passport and the Home Office can withdraw one under certain circumstances. These two paragraphs probably cover it:
a person has been repatriated from abroad at public expense and their debt has not yet been repaid. This is because the passport fee supports the provision of consular services for British citizens overseas; or
a person whose past, present or proposed activities, actual or suspected, are believed by the Home Secretary to be so undesirable that the grant or continued enjoyment of passport facilities is contrary to the public interest.
Clive isn't going to repay his repatriation fees now is he? And even if he does the Home Office would be nuts to not withdraw it, because it's just a matter of time before he is refused entry/deported/requires consular services elsewhere. They definitely don't want a Clive running around Ukraine do they?
So even if Iullia makes it back to Ukraine, Clive probably can't join her there because he can't get there.
They are f-u-c-k-e-d.
So Clive and Iullia are going to lose everything and everyone. No doubt Clive will have a conspiracy theory meltdown over it. And blame everyone but himself. I guess he will be back to the streets of Yorkshire to grift soon enough. Clive should definitely sell his story to the Daily Mail though as his response will be entertaining and I'm sure everyone here would like to see it.
It's actually a really said story though. But neither adult can blame anyone but themselves. The fact they have no regards for international law and how it applies to them is shocking.
I almost feel sorry for them both. Almost. The way they have carried on with out thought to their responsibilities to their children is awful.
Please MNetters keep us updated with the outcome of the saga of Clive and Iullia.