The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
One of Spalding’s top cops and an RAF veteran has spoken of his worry about the threat of deportation that’s hanging over him.
Rick Mosley, the Neighbourhood Sergeant for Spalding, has lived in the UK since moving from Canada aged five in 1972.
The now 51-year-old has lived and travelled on a Canadian passport throughout nearly three decades in the RAF and the police.
He says concerns about the impacts of Brexit and the Windrush scandal urged him to ensure his own place in the country was secure.
But Rick, who has an eight-year-old daughter, has been given a deadline by investigating officials of March 5 to submit certain documents which are proving impossible or difficult to obtain.
“I’ve lived in the UK continuously since 1972 and have been educated here,” Rick continued. “Deportation is not on the cards at the moment, but I don’t know what will happen next and it is a worry.
“My whole life has been here.
“I’ve got a really good job I’ve worked hard in to get to where I am and it’s not just my immediate family I’m worried about, it’s my extended family too.”
After growing up in Nottinghamshire Rick spent 19 years in the RAF which led him to settle in Lincolnshire with his long-term partner and their daughter.
He’s been with Lincolnshire Police for the last 11 years and recently landed the Neighbourhood Sergeant role.
The documents Rick needs to produce include evidence of his Canadian father living in the UK before 1973, despite the fact he only visited for a one-week holiday.
Rick has been trying to obtain the long version of his birth certificate from Ontario since December which has been met with complications.
Officials also say they need to see his parents’ marriage certificate, despite the fact he moved here after his English mum separated from his Canadian father.
Inside Rick’s original Canadian passport it says he’s been granted indefinite leave to stay in the UK and he’s taken that with him on any trips abroad, including nearly 30 years he’s spent in the RAF as a driver or with the police.
“It’s frustrating especially with them setting quite a short deadline for the documents,” said Rick.
“It was myself who raised the issues,” he continued.
“With the Windrush scandal and Brexit coming up I wanted to make sure I qualified to stay under the Windrush scheme
“I had sent off a number of documents already and then they asked for these other documents and set this deadline.
“They’ve said they might be able to extend the deadline for the documents they’re after, but they’ve not said what happens if they don’t extend the deadline.
“For the evidence my dad was present in the UK before 1973, apart from one holiday he never came here and he died last year.
“My parents divorced in the 70s.”
He continued: “My first thoughts are with those looking to stay legally who are not in as strong a position as I am in terms of getting the documents as thankfully I still have my mum and some information.
“I also have fantastic support from my family and friends.”
