In June 2026, the Offender Database UK recorded that Farhad Hosnavi, a 27-year-old Iranian asylum seeker of no fixed abode, was jailed for the fifth time in two years after executing a relentless campaign of criminal damage against a Norfolk asylum hotel and a city police station.
Appearing before Norwich Magistrates’ Court, Hosnavi admitted his latest offense and was bypassed for a suspended sentence, with magistrates classifying him as a direct “danger to the public.” The serial attacks have cost taxpayers more than £10,000 in structural damage alone, excluding substantial policing, court, and prison custody costs.
THE REVOLVING DOOR CRIME TIMELINE
An investigation established that Hosnavi arrived in the United Kingdom illegally via a small boat crossing. His ongoing cycle of offending began in January 2024 and quickly escalated into a repetitive pattern of property destruction, frequently occurring within hours of his release from custody:
- January 2024: Evicted from the Holiday Inn Express Hotel in Norwich (then operating as an asylum hotel) after being discovered in possession of a knife.
- April 2024: Returned to the same asylum hotel and caused property damage, resulting in his first short custodial term.
- May 2024: One month after his release, he targeted the hotel a second time, smashing multiple windows.
- December 3, 2024: On the exact day of his release from a 16-week sentence, Hosnavi returned to the hotel with rocks, smashing 14 windows while shouting, “Fk the police.”
- May 2025: Jailed for 12 months after a court heard he caused £5,000 in damage, leaving hotel staff terrified for their safety. District Judge Andrew Shaw noted the sentence met the threshold for automatic deportation, though political and human rights barriers complicated removal to Iran. The court noted Hosnavi possessed prior settled status in Germany and was openly begging the Home Office to return him there.
- April 28, 2026: Having not been deported, Hosnavi targeted Bethel Street Police Station in Norwich, smashing the automatic main entrance doors. He was handed an eight-week sentence.
- May 30, 2026: Four days after his release from the police station attack, he returned to Bethel Street Police Station and smashed the main glass doors again, causing an additional £5,000 in damage.
RE-ARREST, DEFENCE MITIGATION, AND HOME OFFICE RESPONSE
Prosecutor Sarah Fiddy told the court that the latest attack was heavily aggravated because Hosnavi was actively on prison license and possessed a flagrant history of identical targeted incidents. She confirmed that despite his extensive criminal record, Hosnavi’s application for asylum was still actively being processed by the Home Office.
Hosnavi’s defense lawyer stated that his client was deliberately executing the attacks to force the courts to send him back to prison because he no longer had accommodation or support outside of custody.
A Home Office spokesman confirmed that deportation action against Hosnavi is active, stating: “Farhad Hosnavi is subject to deportation action. We will do everything in our power to remove foreign criminals off British soil… In cases where a foreign offender cannot be immediately removed, electronic tagging and strict conditions are imposed. If these are breached, an individual will be put behind bars.”
CURRENT STATUS AND STATUTORY REQUIREMENTS (JUNE 2026)
- Custodial Status: JAILED (Sentenced to eight weeks in prison on June 4, 2026; currently incarcerated within the secure estate).
- Deportation Status: DEPORTATION PROCEEDINGS PENDING (Subject to an active Home Office enforcement review).
- Asylum Status: Under active assessment by immigration authorities.
- Legal Status: CONVICTED (Multiple counts of criminal damage, possession of a bladed article, and breaching prison license terms).
- Financial Impact: Exceeded £10,000 in municipal and commercial property destruction.
- Origin: Iran / Germany (Offended repeatedly in Norwich, Norfolk).
MONITORING AND PUBLIC PROTECTION
Hosnavi is managed as a high-risk repeat offender by Norfolk Constabulary and HM Prison and Probation Service. Due to his immediate re-offending behavior upon release, public protection teams consider him a severe risk for further property damage and public disruption.
Upon any future release from custody, should immigration removal remain stalled by administrative or human rights appeals, Hosnavi will face strict integration into tracking networks, potentially including mandatory electronic monitoring (tagging) and curfew boundaries. Any deviation from post-custody license terms will trigger an immediate police intervention and a return to prison.
If you or anyone you know has been affected by the individuals highlighted on this website, please report them to the Police on 101 (999 in an emergency) or visit their online resources for further details on reporting a crime. You can also report to Crimestoppers if you wish to remain completely anonymous. There is help available on our support links page.