Family fury at identity blunder

A man wrongly accused of being an illegal immigrant was led away in handcuffs in front of his partner and toddler son.

Despite showing police his passport and driver’s licence, Portuguese national Artur Pessoa, who lives in Newark, was detained in a police cell overnight and threatened with immediate deportation to Brazil — a country he has never set foot in.

Both the police and UK Border Agency have apologised to him.

Mr Pessoa, 39, was accused of being a Brazilian national whose visa to remain in the UK expired four years ago.

Two police officers arrived unannounced at the home Mr Pessoa shares with his partner of 11 years, Laura Stafford, 26, and their two-year-old son Luis at The Twitchell, at 4pm on Friday. The family is furious at his treatment.

“I was panicked. I had never been in anything like that situation before,” said Mr Pessoa. “I started saying to them that they had the wrong guy.

“They had two faxed photographs of the man they were after but they didn’t match each other and neither looked like me.

“They said I would do a runner if they didn’t take me in.”

Mr Pessoa said he was taken to Newark Police Station where he claims he was referred to in derogatory terms as ‘The Brazilian’ and says his story was sneered at. He was locked up overnight

He was promised on several occasions that immigration officials would arrive to resolve the matter but none did so until after 10am the following day.

Mr Pessoa, a manager at Currys distribution centre, said he did not receive legal representation, despite asking for it.

“My neighbours all saw me in handcuffs being taken away,” he said.

“When we got to the police station they were convinced I was who they thought I was and that I was just playing a big game.

“The immigration service took one look at me and my passport and said I was legitimate and free to go.

“Since the incident I have trouble sleeping and wake up frequently with bad thoughts about it all.

“I am a decent hard-working man who wants to look after his family — how could I have done that from Brazil?”

Miss Stafford said: “Whatever happened to innocent until proven guilty? He was treated like a criminal.

“Artur has never been to Brazil but they threatened to deport him there immediately.

“Luis has been deeply affected. He pushes his toy police cars around the floor saying ‘Daddy get in’ and tells people that the police took his daddy away.”

As Portugal is a member of the European Union, Mr Pessoa did not need a visa to enter the UK.

Inspector Steve Cartwright, of Newark Police, said his officers acted on intelligence received by the Foreign National Crime Unit.

“This was a genuine case of mistaken identity, and I have personally apologised to Mr Pessoa for any distress,” said Inspector Cartwright.

A UK Border Agency spokesman said: “UK Border Agency officers attended as soon as possible to carry out checks, which revealed that his residence in the UK was legitimate.

“We apologise to Mr Pessoa for the distress and upset caused.”

Mr Pessoa has instructed a solicitor to pursue claims of wrongful arrest and mistreatment in custody and has made formal complaints to Nottinghamshire Police and the UK Border Agency.