The coroner has determined that the Home Office "missed opportunities" to evaluate the mental state of an asylum seeker prior to his transfer to the Bibby Stockholm, where he later died by suicide.
Leonard Farruku, 27, was discovered deceased on the government's old migrant housing barge at Portland Port, Dorset, on December 12, 2023.
An autopsy determined that he passed away due to neck compression and being suspended by a ligature.
Recording a verdict of suicide, Dorset coroner Rachael Griffin stated that he had not raised any concerns regarding the living conditions.
At the hearing in Bournemouth, she further stated that he had not faced "racism or inappropriate behavior" during the trip.
The sisters of Mr. Farruku, Marsida Keci and Jola Dushku, have raised concerns about how he was permitted to move to the Bibby Stockholm in November 2023, following ongoing mental health challenges since their parents passed away.
The inquiry was told that Mr Farruku started displaying hostile actions during his stay at a hotel in Paignton, Devon, in July 2023.
Issues were sent to the Home Office, but were not entered into its Atlas immigration case management system, the coroner stated.
Ms. Griffin mentioned that the government has guidelines stating that individuals with needs beyond basic healthcare, whether medical or related to mental health, should not be accommodated on the barge due to its isolated position.
"Unless documented there, it would not be accessible to the staff performing future evaluations, who would at the very least then be notified of the need to examine and investigate the mental health concerns raised," she stated.
It could have prompted a deeper investigation into Leonard's qualifications, which was an opportunity the Home Office failed to seize.
The inquiry was informed that Mr Farruku had initially asked to be sent back to his native country to obtain mental health assistance, but he subsequently withdrew his request.
He also rejected invitations to be connected with mental health resources and did not show up when an initial response team was dispatched to the hotel to assist him.
The coroner stated there was merely "limited evidence" suggesting he had experienced a psychotic disorder, instead characterizing him as a "reserved individual who was discontent with his life circumstances."
"One can only speculate on what drove him to come to the UK and endanger his life in a tiny vessel," she stated.
I am unable to determine how much of his ambitions had been affected by his time in the UK, especially his reaction to becoming a destitute refugee after residing there for 16 months.
Ms. Griffin stated she would not be producing a report on preventing future deaths, as there was no comparable barge housing in operation since the Bibby Stockholm was retired in December.
"Following Leonard's passing, adjustments have been implemented in the policies and procedures related to the evaluation processes of the Devon Partnership NHS Foundation Trust and the Home Office's suitability standards, and I have been informed that if any changes haven't been enacted, they are soon to be finalized or introduced," she stated.
I would like to remind the Home Office that everyone involved in housing asylum seekers fully understands the procedures currently in place, especially regarding the expectations for medical evaluation and care.
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Related link
- HM Courts and Tribunals Service
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