Home Office ‘did not respond to concerns’ about man who died on Bibby Stockholm

The Home Office did not respond to concerns raised about the mental health of a man who died aboard the Bibby Stockholm before he was transferred to the accommodation barge, an inquest has heard.

Leonard Farruku, from Albania, was found unresponsive in a shower cubicle on board the accommodation vessel at Portland Port, Dorset, on December 12 2023.

An inquest in Bournemouth was told that a post-mortem examination found that the 27-year-old died as a result of compression to the neck and suspension by ligature.

His sisters Marsida Keci and Jola Dushku have questioned how their brother, who they said had struggled with his mental health since the death of their parents, was allowed to be moved to the Bibby Stockholm.

The inquest has heard that Mr Farruku was previously accommodated at the Esplanade Hotel in Paignton, Devon, and began to show aggressive behaviour in July 2023.

This included damaging furniture in his room, “yelling at staff” and being verbally aggressive and fighting with a fellow resident which led to police attending and Mr Farruku trying to punch one of the officers.

He was also reported to have shown “new behaviours” in August when he made sexual comments to a woman.

Nia Dowd, safeguarding team leader for Clearsprings Ready Homes which had accommodated Mr Farruku on behalf of the Home Office, said that staff considered him to have “serious mental health issues”.

The inquest heard that Mr Farruku had requested to be returned to his home country in order to receive mental health support but he later changed his mind.

He also declined offers of referrals to mental health services and failed to attend when a first response team was sent to the hotel to help him.

Ms Dowd said that his mental health had been due to be assessed as the hotel was being closed but because the Home Office transferred him out of the care of Clearsprings to the Bibby Stockholm prior to the closure, this was not carried out.

However, she said that she emailed the Home Office to “urgently” raise concern about Mr Farruku who was being moved to the barge on November 3 along with a number of other men.

She said that she had highlighted that he had been involved in “multiple incidents” and was considered to have “poor mental health”.

Ms Dowd said that she did not get a response to the email and had not personally been able to follow it up as she was off work for a period and only learnt of Mr Farruku’s death by reading of it in the newspapers.

When asked if the Home Office had made contact with any colleagues at Clearsprings about Mr Farruku, Ms Dowd replied: “I do not believe anybody did.”

She added: “It was not my role to challenge any decision they make.”

The inquest continues.