Press Release: Witness Accounts Raise Questions Over Death of Detainee in Morton Hall IRC
Unity Centre Glasgow and Stop Detention Scotland
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07541208413
Date: 06/10/17
For Immediate Release
Detainee witness accounts say Carlinton Spencer, 38, was not given sufficient medical care which caused his death. Friends of Mr Spencer inside Morton Hall repeatedly called for medical assistance as he became seriously unwell. His health rapidly deteriorated over the next 24 hours before he was finally taken to hospital where he died of a stroke.
In a letter sent by another detainee, Mr B, collates witness accounts of the events preceding Mr Spencer’s death, they argue that the medical staff did not take his illness seriously enough; “He died as a result of gross negligence from part of the health professional at Morton Hall and IRC staff that failed to identify Mr Spencer had a stroke on 28 of September 2017.” (1)
Mr B asserts that one detainee who had written a complaint about the negligence of staff with Mr Spencer, has been moved out of the Morton Hall. Raising suspicion that the Home Office is attempting to avoid questions over the death of Carlinton Spencer.(2)
Caron Miller, from the Unity Centre in Glasgow who has been communicating with detainees inside Morton Hall said, “ The Home Office will attempt to cover up deaths in detention to avoid any questions. Staff are culpable for his death. We demand a full and proper investigation. We demand justice for Carlinton Spencer.”
Joyce Brook, a campaigner with Stop Detention Scotland said, “Time and again detention is proven to fail those people it detains. Instead of being welcomed asylum seekers are locked up, instead of having their illnesses treated ,they are left to die. A man also died inside Dungavel IRC in Scotland in September, enough is enough.We need an end to detention, and end to deaths.
The death of Carlinton Spencer follows the death of a Chinese national in Dungavel IRC, Scotland and a polish man inside Harmondsworth, both in September.
According to Medical Justice, medical treatment is failing detainees, “Our volunteer doctors have seen a disturbing level of medical mistreatment and lack of care in immigration detention. Year after year investigations into deaths reveal ongoing systemic healthcare failings and we fear that as long as these continue, there will be more deaths.”(3)
Notes
Carlinton Spencer, 38, was a Jamaican National detained inside Morton Hall IRC. He died on 2 October 2017 at Hospital.
The Unity Centre has been communicating with Mr B who is detained inside Morton Hall. He wrote a letter to Unity explaining the circumstances of the death of Mr Spencer by collecting witness accounts.
References
1. http://unitycentreglasgow.org/another-dead-in-detention-letter-from-detained-folks-in-morton-hall/
2. http://unitycentreglasgow.org/another-dead-in-detention-letter-from-detained-folks-in-morton-hall/
3. http://www.medicaljustice.org.uk/medical-justice-press-release-200917-dungavel-death/
Unity Centre Glasgow and Stop Detention Scotland
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: 07541208413
Date: 06/10/17
For Immediate Release
Detainee witness accounts say Carlinton Spencer, 38, was not given sufficient medical care which caused his death. Friends of Mr Spencer inside Morton Hall repeatedly called for medical assistance as he became seriously unwell. His health rapidly deteriorated over the next 24 hours before he was finally taken to hospital where he died of a stroke.
In a letter sent by another detainee, Mr B, collates witness accounts of the events preceding Mr Spencer’s death, they argue that the medical staff did not take his illness seriously enough; “He died as a result of gross negligence from part of the health professional at Morton Hall and IRC staff that failed to identify Mr Spencer had a stroke on 28 of September 2017.” (1)
Mr B asserts that one detainee who had written a complaint about the negligence of staff with Mr Spencer, has been moved out of the Morton Hall. Raising suspicion that the Home Office is attempting to avoid questions over the death of Carlinton Spencer.(2)
Caron Miller, from the Unity Centre in Glasgow who has been communicating with detainees inside Morton Hall said, “ The Home Office will attempt to cover up deaths in detention to avoid any questions. Staff are culpable for his death. We demand a full and proper investigation. We demand justice for Carlinton Spencer.”
Joyce Brook, a campaigner with Stop Detention Scotland said, “Time and again detention is proven to fail those people it detains. Instead of being welcomed asylum seekers are locked up, instead of having their illnesses treated ,they are left to die. A man also died inside Dungavel IRC in Scotland in September, enough is enough.We need an end to detention, and end to deaths.
The death of Carlinton Spencer follows the death of a Chinese national in Dungavel IRC, Scotland and a polish man inside Harmondsworth, both in September.
According to Medical Justice, medical treatment is failing detainees, “Our volunteer doctors have seen a disturbing level of medical mistreatment and lack of care in immigration detention. Year after year investigations into deaths reveal ongoing systemic healthcare failings and we fear that as long as these continue, there will be more deaths.”(3)
Notes
Carlinton Spencer, 38, was a Jamaican National detained inside Morton Hall IRC. He died on 2 October 2017 at Hospital.
The Unity Centre has been communicating with Mr B who is detained inside Morton Hall. He wrote a letter to Unity explaining the circumstances of the death of Mr Spencer by collecting witness accounts.
References
1. http://unitycentreglasgow.org/another-dead-in-detention-letter-from-detained-folks-in-morton-hall/
2. http://unitycentreglasgow.org/another-dead-in-detention-letter-from-detained-folks-in-morton-hall/
3. http://www.medicaljustice.org.uk/medical-justice-press-release-200917-dungavel-death/