A man has been going to British courts for years and demands a Belarusian translator, even though he writes in English himself

The High Court of England rejected London resident Sergio Graft's three complaints at once. He does not want to participate in court hearings until he is provided with a Belarusian translator who also speaks the "eastern dialect". At the same time, the judges note that he writes fluently in English.

On September 22, 2026, High Court Judge Heather Williams heard three of Graft's applications for judicial review. One concerned a decision by Willesden County Court, and two concerned the Hammersmith and Fulham district. Graft came to the Royal Courts on Strand Street but did not enter the courtroom. He handed a "message to the court" to a court employee. In it, he writes that he cannot participate in the process because he was "unlawfully denied" "mandatory reasonable accommodations": a mediator from the Ministry of Justice's state program and a Belarusian translator.

This is the third time Graft has come to the courthouse and refused to enter the courtroom. The same thing happened in July 2025 at Willesden County Court and in August 2026 at the High Court.

Judges doubt that Graft needs a translator. As early as August, Judge Andrew Kinnier wrote that, according to documents, Graft has a "good, even fluent" level of English. He gave Graft a "last chance" to prove why he needs a translator and a mediator, warning: "simple assertions will not be enough".

Graft himself admitted that he drafts documents and conducts correspondence in English. However, in his opinion, participation in oral hearings is "a separate matter". The translator, he writes, should sit next to him because he has poor hearing. Judge Williams noted that Graft had provided no medical evidence of hearing problems to the court. He also never requested anything related to hearing, such as an induction loop.

The judge added that Graft "clearly stated his position" in at least four written arguments. On one occasion, he sent a 105-point letter to the court. She also noted that in one of the complaints, Graft referred to four court cases, three of which could not be found.

The judge admitted that this could be the result of artificial intelligence "hallucinations", but did not have the opportunity to ask Graft about it.

The court was ready to assist Graft in other ways: to give him more time to respond, to take breaks, to speak slowly. The judge wrote about this in advance in her ruling. But Graft still did not enter the courtroom.

Graft has lived in London for a long time. Since 2016, he has rented an apartment from the housing association Peabody in Fulham. In May 2025, the council prohibited living in it due to dampness and mold. Peabody wants to make repairs and offered Graft temporary relocation. According to Peabody and the council, he does not allow workers in and refuses to relocate. Graft disputes this, and the magistrates' court is now considering the dispute. Graft himself demands to be prioritized for housing. The High Court found his complaints unfounded. One of the claims, moreover, was dismissed by the court for a procedural reason: Graft did not serve it on the defendant, as he thought it was the court's duty.

Another story is a lawsuit against his own clinic for medical negligence. This lawsuit was dismissed back in 2022. Since then, Graft has filed at least seven applications to reinstate the case, as well as related applications. The clinic asks for them to be declared entirely groundless and intends to seek an order prohibiting Graft from filing new applications.

Graft writes about himself that he has a disability. The same North End Medical Centre clinic, in letters from 2017–2024, testifies that he suffers from "chronic mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder and psychoses", and therefore cannot work. According to a 2018 letter, he was diagnosed with PTSD in 2002, schizophrenic disorders in 2009, and personality disorder in 2014.

Whether Graft is Belarusian does not follow from the court documents: there is no information about his citizenship or origin.

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