A woman from Flackwell Heath has expressed her anger as she believes she was racially profiled when arriving back to the UK from France.

Lucinda Jane Jamila Beck Khan, 59, had spent a three-day holiday with a friend in Dunkirk last month.

She had travelled abroad via car and upon her arrival in Dover, she told the Free Press that she suffered the ‘worst experience of her life’.

The Buckinghamshire resident, who married her Indian husband in 2008 and changed her name by deed poll, revealed the questions she was asked were worded to make out she was ‘definitely guilty until proven innocent’.

Mrs Khan also revealed she is considering using her maiden name to avoid similar experiences.

She told the Free Press: “This was totally racially motivated.

“I am a white British woman married to an Indian Muslim, and since I changed my name in 2008 by deed poll to Lucinda Jane Jamila Beck Khan I have had no end of problems.

“The biggest problem I have had is travelling abroad and this came to a head last weekend when I travelled by car with a friend on a ferry.

“We left Dover on July 11 to Dunkirk and returned on July 14.”

“On arriving back to the UK, we happily chatted and laughed with those at passport control, but about 10 yards further on, another man put up a board, signalling us to go into the customs section.

“This has to be the worst experience of my life.”

The 59-year-old admitted that the interrogation left her feeling ‘very angry’ as it was ‘not the first time’ she had been in this position.  

The interaction left Mrs Khan so incensed, that she demanded to speak to a supervisor to express her concerns.

She continued: “To start off, we got asked questions such as

  • Where had we been
  • Do we have photos to prove it
  • When did we purchase the car
  • Proof of the car registration document
  • Proof of hotel booking emails
  • Proof of a car ferry ticket

“The list went on.

“We were the only car on the whole ferry which got pulled aside. Why?

“What about the other foreign cars etc.

“What happened to innocent until proven guilty?

“The way the questions were worded it was definitely guilty until proven innocent.

“All they kept saying was that they have a right. What about my rights?

I have spent the last three days in tears.

“It is very distressing and am considering changing my name back to my maiden name of Lucinda Jane Beck.”

A statement from Border Control said: “We understand your concerns that only UK vehicles had been stopped while you were at our controls.

“We must highlight, however, that whilst a vehicle may be UK registered, it does not necessarily follow that the occupants are British passport holders.

“Border Force follows strict guidelines with regard to all discrimination and we do not tolerate any breach of these principles.

“Our officers are expected to deliver a professional service and treat all members of the public with consideration, courtesy and respect at all times.

“In return, our officers are entitled to expect a degree of courtesy, respect and understanding from the public.”

We have approached Border Force for further clarity.