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Asylum seeker on hunger strike claims he spent night outside Warrington hotel until ambulance called
By Will Tullis, ITV News
An asylum seeker on his 21st day of a hunger strike was forced to spend the night outside a hotel in near-freezing temperatures until emergency services were called, it has been claimed.
"Hasan", not his real name, is on hunger strike in protest against what he calls "inhumane" and "degrading" conditions and mistreatment by staff at a Serco-run hotel in Stockport.
He was taken to hospital at the beginning of November as his health deteriorated during his hunger strike.
After two weeks he claims he was then forcibly discharged and taken by police to another Serco-run hotel in Warrington.
Speaking exclusively to ITV News, Hasan said he and his wife, who has diabetes, "spent hours" at a Greater Manchester Police station before they were taken to another Serco-run hotel in Warrington.
Hasan said his pre-existing serious concerns with Serco accommodation in Stockport meant he was dismayed at being taken to a Warrington hotel run by the company.
In a message sent to ITV News from outside the hotel on Tuesday, 22 November, night he said: "Me and my wife are sitting outside in the open sky in this cold weather.
"We are sitting outside because so many times Serco staff have abused us. We are trying to get justice but we have not got justice. "We refuse to stay in any Serco contingency hotel."
Hasan and his wife were reluctant to take a room at the hotel. They then claim hotel staff refused to let them wait in reception.
Emergency services were called after midnight by RAPAR, the Manchester refugee charity assisting Hasan and his wife as well as other asylum seekers at the Serco-run hotels.
An ambulance then took the couple to a Manchester hospital.
'We're trying to get justice but we've not got justice': Hasan spent the night outside a Serco-run hotel in Warrington before an ambulance was called.
He sent ITV News this message from outside the hotel.
Dr Rhetta Moran, of RAPAR, said she is "extremely disturbed" by the events at the Warrington hotel.
"These actions are variations on the theme of punishing, instead of enabling, acutely vulnerable people and families all around the country", Dr Moran said.
"The Home Office must take the contract off Serco right now and give it to a body that has the capacity - and the desire - to care for these extremely vulnerable people."
The Home Office said where concerns are raised about service delivered in a hotel it works with providers to investigate such concerns.
Serco strongly refutes the claims made by Hasan and the allegations that hotel staff refused to let them wait inside. Serco claims the couple were "repeatedly encouraged" to come inside.
The company also said caring for asylum seekers in their care is a "priority... day in, day out".
Greater Manchester Police said it does not respond to ongoing investigations but did confirm it responded to reports of a crime and "acted accordingly" in relation to the incident.
'The way staff treat us there is awful...it makes me feel sad': ITV News spoke to six asylum seekers who made the same claims about the Stockport hotel.
Reports of scabies at the hotel was confirmed by Stockport Council, which said it had “expressed concerns” to government and the Home Office.
“We don’t think this is the right way to do things with too many people being kept in one location with inadequate financial and other support for already stretched services”, Stockport Council told ITV News.
Responding to the claims, the Home Office said: "While asylum seekers have access to a 24/7 helpline to raise any concerns they have and are able to make formal complaints which will be followed up."
However, RAPAR and asylum seekers in the Stockport hotel said they have tried to use the complaint helpline but "to no avail".