A 14-year-old British boy who sued his parents for sending him to boarding school in Ghana will have to remain there until at least the end of his GCSEs, following a ruling by the High Court in London.
The teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons was taken to Ghana in March 2024 after being told he was visiting a sick relative. Court papers revealed that his parents’ real intention was to move him abroad amid concerns over his behaviour in London, including repeated school absences, possession of unexplained money, and carrying a knife. The boy, who denies being in a gang or carrying a weapon, described the experience as “living in hell” and said he felt “like an alien” and “abandoned” in Ghana.
He filed a case against his parents in February with the help of publicly funded lawyers, seeking to compel them to return him to the UK. Although he initially lost at the High Court, the Court of Appeal later ordered a rehearing, citing confusion in the first decision.
In a fresh ruling delivered on Tuesday, Mrs Justice Theis upheld the decision to keep him in Ghana, citing potential “greater harm” if he returned to the UK prematurely.
“I am acutely aware that the conclusion I have reached does not accord with [his] wishes and how that will feel for him,” the judge said. “But [he] has the talent, ability and intelligence to make this work together with his family. It will be difficult, but they all have the common aim for [him] to return to live with his family.”
The boy, who holds dual British and Ghanaian citizenship, remains enrolled in a Ghanaian school and is studying for the equivalent of his GCSEs.
His solicitor, James Netto of the International Family Law Group, said the teenager “welcomes” the judge’s decision to set out a “clear roadmap” for his eventual return.
“This has been an extremely difficult case on every level,” Netto said. “He never wanted to be in a position where he was obliged to bring court proceedings against his own parents, but their actions left him with no meaningful alternative. His position remains unchanged: he wants to return home.”
The boy’s mother, however, maintained that it was unsafe for him to come back now. “It is really hard to be away from him,” she said. “I feared and continue to fear that if he were to come back now, he could end up dead. I know he does not see it like that…”
Mrs Justice Theis noted that the decision was intended to give the boy stability and structure while setting out steps for his reintegration with his family in the UK.
“The court expects him to remain living in Ghana, with the aim of returning after completing his GCSEs,” she said. “Whether that will take place will need to be reviewed nearer the time.”
The ruling also requires both parents and child to participate in family therapy sessions funded by their local authority as part of the “roadmap” for his eventual return.
