Albanian asylum seeker, 27, died by hanging himself on board Bibby Stockholm barge, inquest hears

• Albanian Leonard Farruku, 27, died on December 12
• For help and support contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org 

Albanian asylum seeker Leonard Farruku died of compression of the neck caused by suspension by ligature, an inquest at Bournemouth into his death on the Bibby Stockholm barge has heard.

The 27-year-old’s body was found by police and paramedics on the barge, at Portland port in Dorset on December 12.

His inquest, opened today at Dorset Coroners Court in Bournemouth, heard there was no evidence of third party involvement in Mr Farruku’s death.

The Government unveiled the barge as a solution for cutting the costs incurred accommodating asylum seekers in private hotels.

Mr Farruku’s sister Jola Dushku said that he was ‘treated like an animal’ on the barge, the Telegraph reported.

Leonard Farruku died of compression by the neck caused by suspension by ligature, while on board the Bibby Stockholm barge, an inquest heard

The Bibby Stockholm barge in Portland, Dorset

Nikki Muller, senior coroner’s officer at Dorset Coroners Court, said: ‘Police and paramedics were called following reports of an unresponsive male at the location.

‘Leonard Farruku was confirmed deceased at the scene and police continue with their enquiries.

‘He was formally identified by his cousin Maranglen Farruku.’

Mr Farruku, who was born just outside Durres, Albania’s second largest city, had come to the UK to find work and secure indefinite leave to remain, his sister said. 

Other asylum seekers living with him on board the vessel reported he was ‘screaming very loudly’ at 3am and was seen banging against the walls of his cabin.

The first asylum seekers were brought back on to the vessel in October – two months after it was evacuated following the discovery of potentially fatal Legionella bacteria in the water supply. 

Home Office permanent secretary Sir Matthew Rycroft last week revealed in a letter to MPs that the cost of the Bibby Stockholm contract was £22,450,772.

He stated that this covered the “vessel accommodation services” portion of the contract with operators CTM.

He said the assessment of whether the vessel offered value for money was “currently being updated”.

Campaigners have said that a man on board the Bibby Stockholm had tried to take his life earlier this year. 

A post mortem examination was held at Holly Tree Lodge Mortuary where his provisional cause of death was given as ‘compression of the neck due to suspension by ligature’.

Dorset Senior Coroner Rachael Griffin has requested written statements from Mr Farraku’s family, the Home Office, the Port Authority, ISCA (who provide security on board the vessel), ship-housing providers Landry and Kling, Dorset Council and Dorset Police.

She said: ‘I am going to request statements within six weeks from the family of Mr Farruku, the Home Office, the Port Authority, ISCA who provide the security on Bibby Stockholm, Landry and Kling, Dorset Council and Dorset Police in relation to the investigation.’

She adjourned his inquest until a pre inquest review hearing on July 9.

No family members were present at the short hearing.

Home Secretary James Cleverly previously said that Mr Farruku’s sudden death would be “fully” investigated.

There are reports that Mr Farruku paid almost £3,500 to travel to the UK across the Channel in a small boat last year.

He was found dead in a communal bathroom on the barge with the police being called at 6.22am.

It has been reported that he had been crying out for help and asked for an emergency doctors’ appointment the day before his death.

• For help and support contact the Samaritans on 116 123 or go to samaritans.org 

Source: Read Full Article