AN asylum seeker fighting deportation to a country where he faces death has spent his first night of freedom at home in Fareham.

Immigration authorities had decided Congolese national Willy Mpasi Mutwadi, pictured right, would have to stay in detention while he waits to hear his fate.

But they were overruled at a court hearing yesterday which saw the 42-year-old free to return to his British home with Mike and Lindsay Brown and their family.

Mr Mpasi told the Daily Echo how he felt as he stepped out of the latest detention centre he has been kept in at Gatwick Airport.

He said: "I'm very very emotional. I'm very grateful and will be celebrating tonight and in church on Sunday."

The clinical biologist, who left the Democratic Republic of Congo because his Christian beliefs put him at odds with politicians, has lived behind bars in various detention centres for 12 of his 18 months in the UK.

Leading the campaign to give him asylum is Mike Brown, of Wickham Road, who met Mr Mpasi when he was at Gosport's Haslar Immigration Removal Centre.

He said: "This is really good news. It means we can continue our battle to get Willy a fresh asylum application.

"We just wanted him back. He's part of our family, part of the church and part of the community.

"They tried to take him away, but we've got him back."

Portsmouth soccer star Lomana Tresor Lua Lua has become one of Mr Mpasi's closest friends and has joined the campaign to keep his countryman in the UK.

Father of four Mr Mpasi says his brother has been killed for failing to give information to the Congolese authorities, and his wife and children are in hiding.

He claims he was being forced to take part in a government-inspired plot to assassinate opposition politicians by administering lethal injections.

He fled the country last year with the help of church groups who provided him with false papers and an airline ticket.

A Home Office spokesman said they do not comment on individual cases.