Deportee motion signed by 100 MPs

Sakchai Makao will have his appeal heard on Friday

A motion supporting a young Thai man threatened with deportation from Shetland has been signed by 100 MPs.

Sakchai Makao, 23, faces deportation as a foreign national with a criminal record after he spent eight months in jail two years ago for fire-raising.

His deportation appeal will be heard in North Shields, Tyneside, on Friday.

Orkney and Shetland MP Alistair Carmichael said: "MPs from every party represented in the House of Commons are backing Sakchai Makao."

The MP welcomed news that so many MPs had signed the parliamentary motion in support of Makao, who has lived on Shetland since he was 10.

The very considerable support he has in parliament can only add further weight to the campaign to keep him here Alistair Carmichael Orkney and Shetland MP

Mr Carmichael said: "There is a growing awareness across the whole country and within Westminster that the treatment of Sakchai Makao by the Home Office has been appalling.

"MPs realise that it would be wrong to remove Sakchai from a community which wants him to stay and where he has spent most of his life.

"On Friday the courts will decide whether or not Sakchai can remain in Shetland.

"The very considerable support he has in parliament can only add further weight to the campaign to keep him here."

More than 200 well-wishers turned out at a rally in Shetland on Tuesday night to show Makao their support.

The Home Office has said it cannot comment on individual cases.