The family of Leonard Farruku, who died in a suspected suicide last December on the Bibby Stockholm barge used to accommodate asylum seekers, have said that the British government should be held responsible for his death.
The family has launched legal action against the government to force a decision over holding an independent investigation into the death. Lawyers for the family said they took the decision after the government failed to respond to three letters sent to it last month.
The lawyers have asked the government to respond by Friday due to what they said was the urgent need to secure evidence relating to the case.
Police and the coroner are investigating the death of Farruku, 27, who was found locked in the bathroom on the Bibby Stockholm, which is moored in Portland, Dorset.
Other asylum seekers on the barge have told the Guardian that Farruku’s death has traumatised them and made them fearful that others onboard might suffer a similar fate.
Farruku’s sister, Jola Dushku, 33, said: “We feel the UK government should be held responsible for Leonard’s death. Our desire is to understand the truth about what happened to Leonard and to make sure that the same thing doesn’t happen to other asylum seekers.
“The way to do that is for government to carry out a full and independent investigation into Leonard’s death.”
In the pre-action letter sent to the justice minister, Alex Chalk, the family’s lawyers highlighted the government’s failure to make a decision about whether to commission an independent investigation by the Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which has access to specialist investigators experienced in gathering evidence relating to the deaths of people who were incarcerated.
While the barge is not a prison or detention centre, the family’s lawyers describe it as “quasi-detention” given its remote location and the restrictions associated with living there, meaning an “exceptional investigation” should be launched.
The letter raises wider concerns about conditions on the barge including the vulnerability and complex mental health needs of those onboard who they say are at “elevated risk of suicide”.
The lawyers outline concerns about Farruku’s reported behaviour before and after he was placed on the Bibby Stockholm, including him becoming hysterical when he was told to get into a car to go to the barge and strange behaviour onboard where he did not receive the support he needed.
Deborah Coles, director of the charity Inquest, backed calls for an independent investigation into Farruku’s death.
“Significant concerns have been raised about the ‘prison-like’ conditions on the Bibby Stockholm, the systems in place to assess the suitability of individuals to be accommodated on the barge, and their subsequent health and safety,” she said. “An independent investigation is vital to enable the appropriate robust level of scrutiny.”
A government spokesperson said: “This was a tragic incident and our thoughts are with everyone affected. This incident is currently being investigated by the police and coroner, and it is right that the facts and circumstances are established in the appropriate, legal manner. It would be inappropriate to comment further while an inquest is ongoing.”
• In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123, or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org
