Immigrant tried to hang herself as van took her to be deported
By Claire Regan Belfast Telegraph 21st October 2005 | 21.10.2005 13:08
An African woman who immigration officials shipped to Scotland from Belfast just hours after she attempted suicide is to be imprisoned when she is returned to Northern Ireland.
The Eritrean mother, who tried to hang herself in the back of an immigration service vehicle as she was transported to the Stranraer ferry at Larne on Tuesday, is to be detained at Hydebank Young Offenders Centre when she is brought back here at the demand of the Belfast High Court.
The woman, who would have been flown out of the UK with her two children yesterday, had the High Court not stepped in, was shipped to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre in Strathaven, near Stranraer, after being detained in a raid on the family home earlier that day.
Her husband was not lifted and remains at the home in Belfast. It is understood the woman was separated from her children on arrival in Scotland where they are in the care of Social Services today.
The Home Office confirmed this morning that a "self-harm" incident took place in the van while the woman was en route from Belfast to Stranraer.
"Staff intervened and the individual suffered no physical harm," she added.
It is understood the woman was not taken to hospital and did not receive a psychiatric assessment after her attempted suicide.
An emergency sitting of the High Court in Belfast yesterday ordered a return of the woman and her children to Northern Ireland.
The mother's representative at the Law Centre in Belfast, Buster Cox, said all three will be returned at some stage.
"We do not know yet exactly when that will happen. As far as we are aware, the children will live with their step-father and the mother will be imprisoned at Hydebank," he said.
"We are absolutely appalled at this woman's treatment.
"It raises serious issues about the procedures and practices that are used in the removal of this woman. I can only describe it as aggressive."
Mr Cox said he had serious misgivings about the deportation operation.
"It is our understanding that with family removals, there is an attempt to ensure that people have time to understand what is happening to them. We have real issues about what assessments were made during the time of this operation."
The Eritrean mother, who tried to hang herself in the back of an immigration service vehicle as she was transported to the Stranraer ferry at Larne on Tuesday, is to be detained at Hydebank Young Offenders Centre when she is brought back here at the demand of the Belfast High Court.
The woman, who would have been flown out of the UK with her two children yesterday, had the High Court not stepped in, was shipped to Dungavel House Immigration Removal Centre in Strathaven, near Stranraer, after being detained in a raid on the family home earlier that day.
Her husband was not lifted and remains at the home in Belfast. It is understood the woman was separated from her children on arrival in Scotland where they are in the care of Social Services today.
The Home Office confirmed this morning that a "self-harm" incident took place in the van while the woman was en route from Belfast to Stranraer.
"Staff intervened and the individual suffered no physical harm," she added.
It is understood the woman was not taken to hospital and did not receive a psychiatric assessment after her attempted suicide.
An emergency sitting of the High Court in Belfast yesterday ordered a return of the woman and her children to Northern Ireland.
The mother's representative at the Law Centre in Belfast, Buster Cox, said all three will be returned at some stage.
"We do not know yet exactly when that will happen. As far as we are aware, the children will live with their step-father and the mother will be imprisoned at Hydebank," he said.
"We are absolutely appalled at this woman's treatment.
"It raises serious issues about the procedures and practices that are used in the removal of this woman. I can only describe it as aggressive."
Mr Cox said he had serious misgivings about the deportation operation.
"It is our understanding that with family removals, there is an attempt to ensure that people have time to understand what is happening to them. We have real issues about what assessments were made during the time of this operation."
By Claire Regan Belfast Telegraph 21st October 2005
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FYI
21.10.2005 17:02
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