Algerian illegal immigrant jailed for stealing Rolex and £40k Birkin bag from Heathrow Airport could escape deportation because of his wife and two children

By ANDY DOLAN, GENERAL REPORTER Published: 11:16, 12 August 2026 | Updated: 11:22, 12 August 2026 An Algerian illegal immigrant who was jailed for stealing a Rolex and a Birkin bag worth £40,000 from Heathrow Airport could escape deportation because of his British wife and two children. Seddik Belmadani was set to be deported after stealing £40,000 worth of 'sentimental' items from a 'vulnerable' woman, an immigration tribunal heard. Belmadani, who is in his mid-thirties and has two British children, had been sentenced to two and a half years in prison for the thefts of the 'high-end luxury products'. This triggered the process of sending him back to Algeria, but the chef will stay in the UK for now as legal errors were made in the process of deporting him. The impact his deportation would have on his wife and two children was not properly considered, an asylum judge at the Upper Tribunal ruled. The case comes after the Mail told on Monday how Algerian illegal immigrant Bilal Arbaoui, 32, was jailed for stealing a suitcase holding more than £100,000 of jewellery as part of a gang targeting Eurostar passengers at St Pancras, which has become a magnet for thieves – often Algerian – preying on Eurostar passengers. The Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber, sitting in London, heard that Belmadani 'entered the UK clandestinely in July 2017 and in December 2017, he met his wife'. He is the father of two children who are British citizens – one was born in 2021, the other was born this year. The Upper Tribunal of the Immigration and Asylum Chamber ruled the First-tier Tribunal made legal errors in its decision, including a flawed assessment of the best interests of Belmadani's child The tribunal heard that he was convicted of theft in July 2017 and January 2018. He married Samaira Bouraya in 2019. Ms Bouraya, a qualified chartered surveyor, is a dual national of Italy and Morocco and has lived in the UK legally since 2016. In August 2022, Belmadani stole multiple items at Heathrow airport and he was arrested the day after he committed the theft. He pleaded guilty and was sentenced to 30 months in prison in February 2023. The Upper Tribunal was told that the judge sentencing him placed his crimes in the highest category. The tribunal heard: '[The judge said] the harm was [in the highest category] because one of the handbags that was stolen was a Birkin bag containing a Rolex watch, and the combined value of these items was £40,000. 'The judge also noted that the objects were also of sentimental value to the victim because they had been gifts from her mother and her aunt.' The judge added that 'Travellers at airports are 'vulnerable,' because they are tired and distracted, and are often nervous'. An offender assessment in 2023 found that he 'did not accept responsibility for the offence', and that it was an 'escalation' from two previous convictions for theft in July 2017 and January 2018. The tribunal also heard: '[Belmadani] was released in April 2024 on licence. Since his release he has obtained a full-time job as a chef. 'His wife recently started a new full-time job as well. He says that he no longer associates with the people who involved him in the crimes.' The Upper Tribunal heard the probability of him committing a non-violent offence again was found to be 'medium'. A judge heard that in 2024 the Home Office 'decided that requiring him to leave the UK would not be a disproportionate interference with his family life with his wife and child'. Belmadani appealed the decision at the First-tier Tribunal in 2025. In his appeal, he said he was 'incredibly remorseful' about what he did and had focused on 'bettering himself' in prison. Ms Bouraya, giving evidence while pregnant with their second child, said that she needed her husband's support now 'more than ever'. Belmadani's appeal against his deportation was dismissed by the First-tier Tribunal. However, the Upper Tribunal has now ruled the First-tier Tribunal made legal errors in its decision, including a flawed assessment of the best interests of Belmadani's child and a failure to consider the impact of separation on Ms Bouraya. Upper Tribunal Judge Elizabeth Ruddick said: 'The assessment of whether there were very compelling circumstances under section 117C(6) requires a consideration of all relevant factors. 'Several factors were not considered here: the best interests of the child, properly identified; the effects of removal on the appellant's wife; the appellant's period of lawful residence; and the fact that the appellant's wife was pregnant... and said she needed her husband's support.' Judge Ruddick said the case was 'infected by unfairness' and must be re-heard in full. Judge Ruddick therefore set aside the decision of the First-tier Tribunal, so Belmadani's case will be heard afresh at a later date. Last week, Inner London Crown Court heard Arbaoui's three-man gang targeted Jumama Zaida after she arrived at St Pancras from Paris wheeling three suitcases including a gold £1,000 Rimowa case. She went outside to wait for an Uber and one of the gang distracted her. As she took her hand from the gold case containing more than £100,000 of Van Cleef & Arpels jewellery, which she had spent 17 years saving to buy, Arbaoui swept in and took it. He was sentenced to 22 months in prison after he was caught on CCTV wheeling the case away. Other victims include the Abu Dhabi Royal Family, who lost £600,000 of jewellery, and former racing driver Jenson Button's wife Brittny. Another Algerian, asylum seeker Karime Boudina was also jailed this summer for 32 months after stealing a suitcase from a Paddington coffee shop and further luggage from travellers at Heathrow, having used 21 aliases since arriving in Britain in 2010.