Amber Rudd wins fight to deport robber who targeted 'young posh people' to Iran

Home Secretary Amber Rudd has won a deportation fight with a convicted armed robber who targeted "young posh people".

Ms Rudd said 21-year-old Askhan Sanambar's deportation to Iran would be in the public interest following a series of convictions for robbery and attempted robbery.

Sanambar, who moved from Iran to the UK with his mother in 2005 when aged nine, challenged the decision, saying his human right to respect for family life would be infringed.

But three Court of Appeal judges have ruled in Ms Rudd's favour after analysing the case at a hearing in London.

Sanambar had been convicted of attempted robbery in 2009, possession of an offensive weapon in 2011 and attempted robbery and robbery in 2013, appeal judges heard.

He had been given a three-year custodial sentence in 2013 after a crown court judge heard how he had targeted "young posh people" in the Barnes area of south-west London and robbed them at knife-point.

Prosecutors said his victims were aged between 15 and 18 and had all been "very frightened".

An immigration judge had initially decided that Sanambar should not be deported - concluding he had no social or family ties to Iran and would find it very hard to integrate into Iranian life.

But the three appeal judges have sided with Ms Rudd and concluded that Sanambar will not encounter "very significant" integration obstacles.

Lady Justice Rafferty, Lord Justice Irwin and Lord Justice Moylan announced their decision on Wednesday following a Court of Appeal hearing in June.

Home Office lawyers had said Sanambar, who had plans to work as a mechanic, would be able to adapt to life in Iran because he was intelligent, could speak Farsi and would get help from a family friend.