A SYRIAN asylum seeker who is suffering depression after waiting nearly three years for a decision on his application has been offered a glimmer of hope after The Argus reported on his case.

Last week we reported Ahmad Alshami (not his real name), who was tortured by the Assad regime in Damascus, had been repeatedly let down by the British Government.

After leaving behind his pregnant wife, Ahmad has been living in his brother’s home in Portslade.

He says it feels like a prison because he is not allowed to work, study, or travel abroad.

He suffers from depression as well as experiencing flashbacks of being locked in a Syrian prison cell with a rotting human corpse.

But now it seems officials have moved his case back towards the top of the pile.

After The Argus published Ahmad’s story last Thursday, his MP Peter Kyle sent a copy of the newspaper to Sajid Javid, the new Home Secretary.

And two days ago Ahmad received a letter from the Home Office, inviting him to attend a meeting in London next week.

Ahmad told The Argus: “It’s great news. I have hope again, at last.

“The meeting is for them to make sure I am Syrian, it is a language test I think, even though I have three brothers who live here, and a passport.

“But this is still a new hope after years.

“Before the article in The Argus I heard nothing, and after I was in the paper it was just three or four days and I received the letter.”

Mr Kyle said: “I’m over the moon that we’ve had a breakthrough and it demonstrates the power of excellent local journalism in raising awareness of these deep problems in the Home Office.

“Now that the Home Office is in listening mode I hope we can get this case and thousands like it resolved.”

The case comes as new Home Secretary Mr Javid finds himself under intense pressure to improve the way his department deals with immigrants, after his predecessor, Hastings MP Amber Rudd, had to resign from the post in the aftermath of the Windrush scandal.

Residents have also reached out to offer support.

A Brighton acupuncturist, who has asked to remain anonymous, contacted The Argus to offer her services to Ahmad.

She wrote: “I was incredibly moved by your story of the asylum seeker who has not held his son and been living here without being able to work or see his family.

“Acupuncture therapy is used to treat PTSD, anxiety, insomnia and depression, and I would like to offer this man free treatments if he would like to try it.”

The Home Office would not comment on an active case.