An asylum seeker who went on hunger strike after allegations that he was assaulted at a Stockport hotel where his family was housed has been moved. However, arriving at the new accommodation in Rochdale on Friday (May 5), Shay Babagar, his wife and daughter claimed to have found insects crawling around their bed. They are allegations which are denied by Serco, who managed the hotel.
Video footage taken by the family appears to show two bugs on the bed while Shay's wife - who wishes not to be named - speaks of seeing mosquitoes. Serco, which runs both hotels, claims that the family has not reported finding insects on the bed to staff on site or through independent complaints routes.
The company, which runs asylum accommodation across the North West, denied the allegation claiming staff checked the room when it was approached by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The team said no evidence of insects was identified.
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It comes after months of 'sofa surfing' for the family who say they were left 'homeless' after leaving the asylum seeker hotel in Stockport in November. Last month, protesters stormed Stockport council offices demanding that they are housed immediately. The family were offered alternative accommodation, but initially refused to return to a hotel run by Serco.
Since then, Shay and his wife have appeared at Manchester Magistrates Court where allegations that they refused to leave Stepping Hill Hospital when asked to by NHS staff were put to them. The couple pleaded not guilty to the offence which saw them arrested following the hunger strike and a trial date has been set in December.
Shay says he is happier in the Rochdale hotel saying, so far, no one has 'humiliated' or 'shouted' at his family. However, he says it has 'the same unbearable smell' as the Stockport hotel which is also run by Serco and has complained about the hygiene and cleanliness.
The family, who still take their daughter to and from school in Stockport every day, say they are 'exhausted' by the whole ordeal. Shay's daughter now has nightmares and suffers with anxiety because of the accommodation issues.
He and his wife, who fled Pakistan due to Shay's political associations, claimed to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder due to past experiences. He said: "This time is very tough and painful for us mentally, physically and emotionally."
The family arrived in Greater Manchester last year after fleeing Pakistan where the 35-year-old father was involved in political groups fighting for the freedom of the Balochistan region which they say is occupied. Shay believes he and his family's lives would be in danger if they were returned to Pakistan.
The human rights activist went on hunger strike in November to highlight the conditions asylum seekers are allegedly facing at hotels. Allegations of assault at the hotel in Stockport were reported to the police while Shay and his wife were in hospital. GMP confirmed the police investigation has now been closed.
Since November, the family has stayed with people in Stockport where they have received help from various groups including Manchester charity RAPAR. Friends are now helping them with transport costs to take their daughter to school in Stockport which they say takes three trains and two buses every day.
Rochdale MP Tony Lloyd is now looking into their case. The Labour MP said: "Hotels are simply not the right place for families with young children to be housed for months on end. Serco has questions to answer about the basic quality of accommodation, their stewardship of the Home Office contract and dealing with legitimate complaints.
"Tory Home Office Ministers now accept hotels are not the right place to accommodate asylum seekers, but they must raise their game and deliver a much quicker resolution for asylum claims. Hotels are not the answer, not for asylum seekers, not for the community and not for the taxpayer."
A Home Office spokesperson said: "Despite the number of people arriving in the UK reaching record levels, we continue to provide support for asylum seekers who would otherwise be destitute. Asylum-seekers in receipt of catered accommodation are provided with three meals a day along with snacks and water, and a weekly allowance where eligible.
"We expect high standards from all of our providers, and any asylum seekers who have problems with their accommodation can contact Migrant Help 24/7, every day of the year."
A Serco spokesman said: "The family has not reported or complained about woodlice or insects on the bed, either to our team on site or through any of the independent complaints routes available to them, which would have enabled us to look into them and address any problems. When we were approached by the MEN our team immediately went to the hotel room to check it and could find no evidence of any insects or noticed any strange or untoward smells.
"We would urge the family to inform staff on site if they have further such concerns in the future."
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