Key facts
- Horace Mason, a 74-year-old British national with advanced vascular dementia, has been ordered to leave Sweden.
- Mason has resided in Sweden for 25 years and requires full-time care.
- A Swedish migration court ruled that regulated immigration interests outweighed Mason's right to remain.
- He was given until August 20 to depart the country.
- His son, Carl, is pursuing further legal challenges and fundraising for estimated costs.
A 74-year-old British man, Horace Mason, who has lived in Sweden for 25 years and requires constant care for advanced dementia, has been ordered to leave the country by August 20. The decision follows a post-Brexit migration court case where judges ruled that the state's interest in regulated immigration took precedence over Mason's right to remain.
Mason's son, Carl, expressed deep distress over the ruling, stating that his father, who suffers from advanced vascular dementia and vascular parkinsonism, is confused and worried about the implications of deportation. Carl highlighted his father's immobility and complete dependence on care, making an independent life in the UK impossible.
The Swedish migration agency initially rejected an application for a residence permit in November, stating insufficient documentation. An appeal to the migration court of appeals was also denied on July 23, despite the family submitting new medical evidence and arguing for rights under Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights. The court acknowledged that dementia care exists in the UK and that Mason has a daughter there, though Carl provides his father's primary care.
Carl Mason is now attempting to mount a further challenge at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg and has initiated a GoFundMe campaign to cover estimated legal costs of 50,000 kronor (£3,900).
David Milstead, from the campaign group British in Sweden, criticized the Swedish authorities' approach, stating that Sweden's refusal rate for applications from British nationals is significantly higher than the EU average. He argued that Sweden's interpretation of the withdrawal agreement is overly restrictive and is negatively impacting the lives of British citizens residing there.