An “immensely proud” veteran whose son is an England rugby union star has been stopped from seeing his cancer-stricken wife by immigration red tape.
Ilaitia Cokanasiga, dad of Joe, assumed he would be free to live in the UK, after 14 years in the British Army, including two tours of Iraq.
But the right is not automatic for discharged Comm-onwealth soldiers.
Illatia says he feels “betrayed” and devastated at not being able to “return to the UK to care for my wife”. Speaking from Fiji, he said: “I talk to [her] every other day, and she cries.
“She is very worried. Everyone is struggling to cope.”
Yesterday, Joe, who was in England’s world cup squad last year, backed his dad saying it was a “bitter pill to swallow”.
He insisted: “We have been made to feel my father has done something wrong, when it is the British Army that has let him down.”
Ilaitia, 48, whose other son, Philip played England youth rugby, is now taking legal action against the Government with eight others.
He added: “I had immense pride to have served in the armed forces.
“I now reflect on my Army career with underlying bitterness and my pride at my sons’ rugby careers is tainted by the fact that the British Government let our family down.”
The MoD was asked to comment.
