The partner of imprisoned asylum seeker Gerard Santos has written to Tony Blair to ask him to stop the doctor being sent back to Africa.

But Sheila Archibald was disappointed by a reply saying the Prime Minister received numerous letters and the request would be passed on to the Home Office.

She said: "Since they're the ones who've brought us to this in the first place it does seem a bit pointless.

"Gerard is still in Rochester Prison and is waiting to hear if he can resume the Open University course he was studying for before.

"It's hard going and he can get very down but he's getting lots of support from his colleagues and the people with learning difficulties he worked with are keeping his spirits up.

"I visit every day but still have to ring up each morning at 9am to make an appointment."

Mr Santos, 39, has lived in Britain since 1992 working with the elderly and mentally disabled.

The qualified doctor was detained when he reported to Littlehampton police station last month and was due to be deported to Benin, West Africa when his solicitor won a last-minute deferral from the Home Office.

Mr Santos is now planning to take his case to judicial review in the High Court.