THE case of Iraqi Kurd Karwan Karim seems to lack any thread of logic or common sense.

He has had his application for political asylum turned down so he cannot work legally and because of that is denied medical care, housing and any form of financial assistance.

The government is not deporting people to Iraq because they say it is too dangerous although illogically they claim at the same time that there is an "assisted return programme" which means no-one should be "living in limbo" here.

But Rev Sally Thomas of the Building Bridges Asylum Seeker Support Group says: "Ask the Home Office when the planes leave."

And she says he is just one of hundreds of people in East Lancashire in a similar position ie relying on friends' charity for food and somewhere to sleep.

That is a frankly horrifying situation.

With no other means of support who would give odds against human nature forcing many of these people to turn to crime?

No one is saying that people who qualify for political asylum should not be helped to settle in to a new life free from fear and persecution.

But there is only one sensible way to deal with people who have been judged to not have a case for being granted political asylum.

They should be sent back to their homeland.