Basmah Sahib and Javaria Ahmed in our Public Law and Human Rights team have secured a positive age decision in the case of ARIA v London Borough of Hounslow.

Yesterday afternoon, Upper Tribunal Judges Frances and O’Brien ruled that ‘ARIA’ was likely born in 2007 (as he had claimed), and that he was very likely to have been a child when he arrived in the UK in July 2023.

The judges announced their decision in open court, within hours of hearing ARIA’s emotional testimony. A written ruling containing the judges’ reasons will follow on Thursday 28 November and will be published on our website.

ARIA was previously represented by Claire Hann and Jessie Brennan at Bindmans. Basmah Sahib took over ARIA’s case earlier this year.

Basmah said:

The fact that the judges felt able to hand down their ruling shortly after hearing the evidence in the case suggests to me that they were faced with very compelling testimony which supported ARIA’s claims that he was – by the date of his hearing – a 17-year-old teenager. I’m thrilled that ARIA will, at long last, receive the social services support to which he has always been entitled, and hope that local authorities following this case will reflect carefully on this outcome before defending age decisions all the way to trial.

ARIA was represented by Antonia Benfield of Doughty Street Chambers.