AN asylum seeker who claimed to be a gay man fleeing death threats in a “complete fabrication” later fathered two children with an Irish woman, the High Court has heard.

Justice Minister Charlie Flanagan is locked in a drawn-out legal battle to have the supposedly homosexual African deported as soon as possible.

1 The Four Courts in Dublin where the High Court is situated Credit: Alamy

The Irish woman has since started a new relationship — but her asylum seeker ex claims he must be allowed to stay for the sake of his children, the court heard.

He’s already spent over a decade in Ireland and took up employment here.

He posed as a refugee who “had a homosexual relationship with a person whose family was threatening to kill him” in an anti-LGBT West African country, the court heard.

Sarah Cooney, the Justice Minister’s junior counsel, told the court: “That was complete fabrication.”

'STILL IN THE DARK'

She said he gave “misleading and totally untruthful information” to the authorities, and the State still isn’t sure what his real name is.

He’s believed to have used a series of false names, aliases and ages over the years. The Department of Justice now believes the mystery man is Nigerian — though he originally claimed to be from a different West African country.

Ms Cooney said: “We’re really still in the dark as to who this person is.”

He’s currently being held in Cloverhill Prison. And Robert Barron SC, the Justice Minister’s top asylum brief, urged the court to immediately order the man’s deportation.

The failed asylum seeker is challenging his deportation in a case against the Minister.

'NO NEED FOR MAN TO REMAIN'

Mr Barron told the court: “It’s of great importance that the immigration system isn’t made a mockery of. A false claim for asylum makes a complete mockery of the system.

“There’s no claim of harm to this man if he’s deported. There’s no claim that the children will have to go with him.

“There is no need for this man to remain in this country.”

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The Department of Justice first issued a deportation order against him in 2015 — but they couldn’t find the man at that time. The order was reissued last August.

The State is still unable to boot him out due to the ongoing court challenge.

Judge Richard Humphreys hasn’t yet decided the case, and is awaiting further input from Minister Flanagan on the Irish-born children issue before he does. A final decision is expected on February 10.