The Keoghs Public Sector Team handled the defence of Civil Penalty Appeals issued by the Secretary of State for the Home Department (SSHD) to employers found to be employing illegal workers. Khuram Ahmed leads this arm of the team.
This appeal was lodged in relation to a referral made by Feltham police in August 2024. HG informed the police that she had an argument with the appellant, who physically abused her. Upon being taken into custody and questioned, it was discovered that HG was working illegally as a nanny for the appellant.
The appellant was issued with a £40,000 Civil Penalty Notice under Section 15 of the Immigration, Asylum and Nationality Act 2006.
The appellant lodged an appeal. We were instructed by the SSHD to defend the appeal.
The appellant appealed on the grounds that they are not liable for the civil penalty imposed by the Civil Penalty Compliance Team (CPCT), as there is no employer-employee relationship between the appellant and HG. The appellant further explained that HG was introduced by a family member and would occasionally visit to play with the children and sometimes stay overnight, but no employment was involved.
At the hearing, the judge dismissed the appeal and awarded Keoghs its full cost. In judgment, the judge reiterated that the burden is on the appellant to satisfy the court that she did not employ HG.
The appellant was a sitting Labour Councillor. Upon this appeal decision becoming public, this case caught much media attention, and the Labour Party suspended them as a result. Another successful defence of a Civil Penalty Appeal for the Keoghs team, which this time reiterated that no one is above the law.
Khuram Ahmed - Technical Support Lawyer
The service you deliver is integral to the success of your business. With the right technology, we can help you to heighten your customer experience, improve underwriting performance, and streamline processes.
