Migrant took his own life after multiple failings at UK detention centre

16 October 2024: BBC: Migrant took own life after ‘multiple failings’ at UK detention centre

An inquest jury has found “multiple failings” and “missed opportunities” at an immigration detention centre contributed to a Colombian man taking his own life in 2023.

The coroner examining the death of Frank Ospina said he had been let down by the state “in numerous ways” which were “utterly regretful”.

Last year the BBC revealed Frank Ospina had died in the detention removal facility despite being willing to return home to Colombia.

The jury found his case should have been reviewed because of his worsening mental health, which could have led to him being released.

Offering its condolences, the Home Office said steps had been taken since Mr Ospina’s death to improve safeguards for individuals in detention.

Frank Ospina, 39, an engineering graduate, came to the UK in late 2022 to visit his mother, who had settled here, and to visit prospective universities.

Having decided to instead enrol on a master’s course in Spain, which was due to begin in May 2023, he took a short-term job washing dishes, his family say. But as a foreign national Mr Ospina did not have the right to work in the UK.

He was arrested in an immigration raid and taken to the Heathrow detention centres.

Behind bars he suffered a mental health crisis and on 26 March 2023 was found dead at the Harmondsworth facility, having strangled himself.

The inquest jury concluded that he had killed himself.