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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Asylum seeker death investigated by Home Office amid healthcare concerns | Asylum seeker death investigated by Home Office amid healthcare concerns |
| (8 days later) | |
| The Home Office has launched an investigation into the case of an asylum seeker who died within hours of being discharged from an immigration removal centre (IRC) where he had been held for three months. | The Home Office has launched an investigation into the case of an asylum seeker who died within hours of being discharged from an immigration removal centre (IRC) where he had been held for three months. |
| The day before Khalid Shahzad, 52, was released he had collapsed and was judged unfit to be detained because of his poor health, but officials at Colnbrook IRC decided to let him travel unaccompanied. He died en route from Euston station to Manchester on 30 March. | The day before Khalid Shahzad, 52, was released he had collapsed and was judged unfit to be detained because of his poor health, but officials at Colnbrook IRC decided to let him travel unaccompanied. He died en route from Euston station to Manchester on 30 March. |
| The Pakistani national had been held at the centre, which is near Heathrow airport and operated by Serco. He had been issued with removal directions to Pakistan. | The Pakistani national had been held at the centre, which is near Heathrow airport and operated by Serco. He had been issued with removal directions to Pakistan. |
| The Guardian has learned Shahzad suffered cardiac problems and had an artificial heart valve fitted prior to his arrest. He collapsed twice at the centre and was taken to hospital. Detainees at Colnbrook say he was told he did not have long to live. | The Guardian has learned Shahzad suffered cardiac problems and had an artificial heart valve fitted prior to his arrest. He collapsed twice at the centre and was taken to hospital. Detainees at Colnbrook say he was told he did not have long to live. |
| On the day of his death he was discharged from custody after being deemed unfit for detention. He was given a travel warrant and travelled alone to Euston station where he boarded a train for Manchester. British transport police were called to the train at Wilmslow, Cheshire, where he was pronounced dead. | On the day of his death he was discharged from custody after being deemed unfit for detention. He was given a travel warrant and travelled alone to Euston station where he boarded a train for Manchester. British transport police were called to the train at Wilmslow, Cheshire, where he was pronounced dead. |
| The Guardian has spoken to detainees at Colnbrook. One said Shahzad suffered from constant breathing difficulties during his time at the centre. | The Guardian has spoken to detainees at Colnbrook. One said Shahzad suffered from constant breathing difficulties during his time at the centre. |
| Deborah Coles, co-director of the Inquest campaign group said the death of a critically ill man, alone on a train, only hours after being discharged as unfit to be detained, suggested an abdication of Serco's responsibility for his welfare. | Deborah Coles, co-director of the Inquest campaign group said the death of a critically ill man, alone on a train, only hours after being discharged as unfit to be detained, suggested an abdication of Serco's responsibility for his welfare. |
| "The circumstances of this death and the wider concerns about the quality and standards of healthcare for immigration detainees at Colnbrook – criticised by an inquest jury only last year – must be thoroughly scrutinised, both by the prisons and probation ombudsman and an inquest jury," she said. | "The circumstances of this death and the wider concerns about the quality and standards of healthcare for immigration detainees at Colnbrook – criticised by an inquest jury only last year – must be thoroughly scrutinised, both by the prisons and probation ombudsman and an inquest jury," she said. |
| The Home Office said: "We will provide specialist support to individuals being released from detention if recommended by healthcare professionals. An investigation into this case is under way and it would be inappropriate to comment further." | The Home Office said: "We will provide specialist support to individuals being released from detention if recommended by healthcare professionals. An investigation into this case is under way and it would be inappropriate to comment further." |
| Serco said: "Mr Shahzad was discharged on Saturday March 30 from Colnbrook immigration removal centre. Tragically, he was found dead later that day on a train to Manchester and our thoughts are with his family. An investigation is being carried out and there will be an inquest into his death." | Serco said: "Mr Shahzad was discharged on Saturday March 30 from Colnbrook immigration removal centre. Tragically, he was found dead later that day on a train to Manchester and our thoughts are with his family. An investigation is being carried out and there will be an inquest into his death." |
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