An investigation into the death of Frank Ospina has found “multiple failings” and “missed opportunities” at an immigration detention centre which contributed to his suicide in 2023. Ospina, a Colombian engineering graduate, had come to the UK to visit his mother and plan visits to potential universities. He was arrested in an immigration raid and taken to a detention centre. He was suffering from mental health crises and was found dead in the detention removal facility having strangled himself.
The jury found that Ospina’s worsening mental health meant his case should have been reviewed, potentially leading to his release. Staff on duty that night made “unacceptably inadequate observations” of Frank Ospina, failing to spot he was not in his bed. Behind bars, his mother visited but was separated from him by a glass wall which the jury described as “inappropriate and unnecessary”. The failure to submit a Rule 35.2 report meant his release from detention was never considered.
The UK Home Office, offering its condolences, said since Mr Ospina’s death steps had been taken to improve safeguards for individuals in detention. Immigration detention centres are run like prisons: however, many of those detained have committed no crime. They are held while the authorities prepare for them to be removed from the UK. The Ospina case highlighted issues with the management of immigration centres, six years after a BBC investigation revealed the abuse of detainees.
A spokesperson for Mitie, which runs the detention centre where Ospina died, said that the physical and mental wellbeing of those in their care is of the utmost importance and they are addressing the matters raised by the Coroner. A Home Office spokesperson said since Ospina’s death actions have been taken to improve the safeguards for individuals in detention, including an increase in staffing numbers, training and guidance for staff.
The case comes as the UK government is planning to remove more failed asylum seekers from the UK and reduce small boat crossings, putting the centres under growing pressure. If you or someone you know is feeling emotionally distressed, organisations offering support can be found on the BBC Action Line website
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