Glasgow hotel stabbings an ‘avoidable tragedy’, report finds

A knife attack in a Glasgow hotel housing asylum seekers during the Covid lockdown was an “avoidable tragedy”, a report has said.

Six people were stabbed in June 2020 at the Park Inn in Glasgow, and Badreddin Abdalla Adam was shot dead by police after carrying out the attack at the West George Street hotel.

A review, commissioned by Refugees for Justice, said on Friday the incident resulted from “the ill-planned decision to move asylum seekers in Glasgow out of their homes en masse and into unsuitable accommodation”.

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The Home Office said it had since “made significant changes to keep asylum seekers safe”.

Police at the scene in June, 2020Police at the scene in June, 2020
Police at the scene in June, 2020

Baroness Helena Kennedy KC said the report she led would be a “hard read” for both the Home Office and Mears Group, who operated the unit, but said the system was in urgent need of reform.

“It is not good enough to rebrand housing officers as welfare officers and expect them to work skilfully with traumatised people,” she said.

“If commercial organisations are going to provide these services, that provision needs to be professionalised.

“To be worthy of continuing to hold this contact, Mears, at minimum, needs to be making material investment in the wellbeing of those in its accommodation.”

Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, at the launch of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Provision in Scotland.Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, at the launch of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Provision in Scotland.
Baroness Helena Kennedy KC, at the launch of the final report of the Commission of Inquiry into Asylum Provision in Scotland.

The inquiry called for Mears to set up an annual £5 million fund for mental health support and trauma treatment for asylum seekers.

It also found concluded the deterioration in mental health was “striking and clear”, and said some went weeks without access to mental health medication.

It also said there was a culture of fear in the hotels, where residents worried any complaints would damage their asylum claims, that there was no adequate assessment of the impact of the hotel moves on women, and said hotel staff were also victims of poor decision making.

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A Home Office spokesman said the incident was “truly horrific and our thoughts are with those affected”.

“We have since made significant changes to keep asylum seekers safe, including how we, our contractors and charities identify vulnerable individuals and ensure they are fully supported,” the spokesman said.

““We are dealing with an unprecedented increase in asylum cases but despite this we continue to ensure that the accommodation provided is safe, secure and leaves no one destitute.”

The conclusion of the charity commissioned report comes after months of evidence gathering, during which its seven-strong panel heard accounts from asylum seekers.

The private inquiry was unable to compel witnesses to attend or force evidence to be handed over.

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