A British teenager will stay in Ghana until at least the completion of his GCSE examinations, following a High Court ruling that sided with his parents’ concerns over his safety in the UK.
The boy, identified only as ‘S’ for legal reasons, had initiated legal action against his parents after they enrolled him in a Ghanaian boarding school and arranged for him to live with extended family without his prior knowledge. He sought a court order to compel his immediate return to England.
However, Mrs Justice Theis ruled that while the boy had been “tricked,” he should remain in Ghana with the objective of establishing a plan for his eventual return after his exams. The judge noted the teenager had developed a greater understanding of his parents’ drastic actions.
The court heard that the parents, both originally from Ghana, had become “increasingly concerned” for their son’s welfare in the year preceding the trip. They reportedly discovered videos, photos, and messages on his phone that suggested involvement in theft, fraud, and possession of knives. His mother had also found a kitchen knife concealed in their home.
The parents, who returned to England from a family holiday in Ghana last April without their son, told the court they did not believe they could ensure his safety if he were to return now. They expressed fears he was being drawn into a local “gang culture.”
The judge acknowledged the “very real concern” about the boy feeling abandoned in a country where he considers himself an outsider. Nevertheless, she concluded that forcing his return against his parents’ wishes would carry a “very high” risk of relationship breakdown and could expose him to the dangers his parents sought to avoid.
In a statement, the boy’s father, who has been visiting him in Ghana, affirmed his love for his son but stated that Ghana currently represents “the safest and most suitable place for him.” The family maintains a shared goal of his eventual return to the UK.
