Violent Bosnian criminal overturns deportation bid to win 'right to family life' in Britain But her changes to the immigration rules have been widely ignored and judges continue to allow appeals on "family life" grounds. Earlier this year Dominic Raab, a Conservative MP, tabled a parliamentary amendment for tougher measures which judges would have found almost impossible to ignore. The move would have disallowed Article 8 appeals by changing primary legislation - but Mrs May refused to back the measure and is due to publish her own legislation in a new immigration Bill. Mark Reckless, a Conservative backbencher, said: "I am angry to hear yet another example of a serious criminal not being deported on the basis of a supposed right to family life. If the government had accepted Dominic Raab's amendment in the last session of Parliament this could already have been stopped. I'm hopeful the new immigration Bill will finally put a stop to the abuse of Article 8, but I remain a little distrustful of that until we see the legislation. We may have to harden that up as we take it through the House of Commons. Sahbaz, who lives in Hertford, in Herts, came to Britain as a dependant of his refugee father in 1993. He was granted indefinite leave to remain in 2000 but is still a citizen of Bosnia and Herzegovina. He has a string of offences dating from April 2005 including common assault, handling stolen goods, theft, public order offences and assaulting police. In June 2008 he was involved in an argument in the street in Borehamwood, Herts, and armed himself with a wooden chair leg. He hit his victim causing a broken arm and finger. He pleased guilty to affray but three weeks later, while on police bail, committed an offence of grievous bodily harm. Sahbaz was involved in an argument when a third party tried to intervene. Sahbaz pushed the man and fell on top of him, fracturing his leg leading to a serious injury which needed surgery. A woman police officer who arrested him was also assaulted. Then while on bail for both incidents Sahbaz pushed his landlord to the floor and kicked him repeatedly. "He refused to cease the assault when asked to do so and them stamped on the victim's head, rendering him unconscious," according to court papers. When the victim did get up he was put to the ground again by the appellant and kicked in the face. The sentencing judge described the offence as a sustained and renewed attack on a man on the floor, effectively using his shod foot as a weapon. Sahbaz pleaded guilty to causing actual bodily harm. At St Alban's Crown Court in May 2009, Sahbaz was jailed for four years with an extended licence period of one year. The Home Office notified him that he was liable for deportation in February 2011. His first appeal to the lower immigration chamber was rejected in April that year. But he lodged another appeal, heard by Upper Tribunal Judge Louis Kopieczek at the Immigration and Asylum Chamber earlier this year. The court heard that Sahbaz poses a "medium risk of harm" to the public but he has remained drug and alcohol free and attends probation sessions every week. The judge was told that Sahbaz had extended family in Bosnia, and even had accommodation available there if he were deported. "There is a clear public interest in deterrence, and the interests of the community include recognition of society's view of serious offending," said Judge Kopieczek. However, it is now two years since the deportation order was made against the appellant. In that time he has not committed any offences and has clearly made efforts to improve his behaviour. Balancing the competing considerations, I am satisfied that the appellant has established on a balance of probabilities that the deportation order should be revoked. Such a conclusion does not ignore the seriousness in the appellant's offending and the public interest attaching to it, but gives that matter appropriate weight in the context of the other factors to which I have referred. The length of time that he has been in the UK and his determined efforts at rehabilitation also require recognition. The new immigration Bill setting out how the Government will limit "right to family life" claims is due to be published next month.