Home Office enquiry into 'racist' letter

Simeon Robert: "Very angry and surprised"

The Home Office has promised an urgent investigation into letters it sent to a Nottingham asylum seeker addressing him as "Mr Paki".

Simeon Robert says he was "very angry" when he received two letters on consecutive days last week from the Home Office.

He says he fled Pakistan 15 months ago with his wife and three daughters because they were persecuted for being Christians.

"I was very angry and I was so much surprised," he told the BBC.

Simeon Robert has fled Pakistan

"I said, no, Home Office people can't do that."

The Racial Equality Council says it will put in a complaint, and will refer the matter to Mr Robert's MP.

The Home Office has now written to Mr Robert saying: "The wording used in the letter is clearly highly offensive and we wish to apologise such a letter was sent.

"In view of the seriousness of this case an investigation will be taken forward immediately and treated as a matter of urgency."

Mr Robert and his family face a hearing next week to determine whether they must return to Pakistan.

Eighteen Christians were killed there last year in reprisal for the attacks on Afghanistan.