British woman ‘caged’ by father in Saudi Arabia must be returned to UK, High Court rules

Mohammed Al-Jeffery reportedly disapproved of his daughter's behaviour in the UK

Amina Al-Jeffery left Swansea and moved to Saudi Arabia at her father's insistence four years ago (PA)

A British-born woman who was taken to Saudi Arabia and kept "caged" in her father's house must be allowed to return to the UK, a British High Court judge has ruled.

Amina Al-Jeffery, 21, who grew up in Swansea and has dual British and Saudi Arabian nationality, says her father, Mohammed Al-Jeffery, 62, locks her up because she "kissed a guy".

Lawyers representing Ms Al-Jeffery took legal action and asked Mr Justice Holman to look at ways of helping her.

Ms Jeffery is kept "caged" when her father leaves his home in Jeddah, suffers physical abuse and is not properly fed, the court was told. She is also not free to marry whomever she wants.

Mr Justice Holman said he had concluded Ms Al-Jeffery's freedom of movement had been severely constrained.

He said she could be described as "caged" - although not literally "in a cage".

The judge said Mr Al-Jeffery should give his daughter her Saudi and British passports and pay her fare.

He added: "Current circumstances are such that this British citizen does require protection. She is currently in peril from which she requires to be rescued."

The judge said he had decided he should take steps to protect Ms Al-Jeffery from London.

He added: "To do nothing at all would, in my view, be dereliction towards Amina."

Additional reporting by Press Association