Judge orders release of hunger-strike asylum seeker
His lawyers claim he was interviewed twice last year by the Nigerian high commission in London and it refused to issue him with a passport.
Samuel Sorinwa has been released from Harmondsworth detention centre into hospital following health warnings
Samuel Sorinwa has been released from Harmondsworth detention centre into hospital following health warnings
A doctor at Harmondsworth detention centre had recorded Samuel Sorinwa's situation as 'very grave'. Photograph: Adrian Dennis/AFP/Getty Images
A high court judge has ordered that an asylum seeker on hunger strike be freed from detention, amid warnings that he is at risk of imminent death.
Samuel Sorinwa, 27, began his hunger strike last month and refused liquids for at least 11 days but the Home Office ignored assessments by staff at Harmondsworth detention centre that he was unfit to be detained and refused to release him.
On Thursday, Frances Patterson QC, sitting as a deputy high court judge in central London, dealt a blow to the Home Office, ruling that Sorinwa be released into hospital on bail.
He claims to be Portuguese, but the Home Office insists he is from Nigeria.
His lawyers claim he was interviewed twice last year by the Nigerian high commission in London and it refused to issue him with a passport.
Samuel Sorinwa, 27, began his hunger strike last month and refused liquids for at least 11 days but the Home Office ignored assessments by staff at Harmondsworth detention centre that he was unfit to be detained and refused to release him.
On Thursday, Frances Patterson QC, sitting as a deputy high court judge in central London, dealt a blow to the Home Office, ruling that Sorinwa be released into hospital on bail.
He claims to be Portuguese, but the Home Office insists he is from Nigeria.
His lawyers claim he was interviewed twice last year by the Nigerian high commission in London and it refused to issue him with a passport.
The hearing was held in private and Patterson read her judgment in private due to "sensitivity involving the claimant's medical record" but she provided the Guardian with a copy of the order she had agreed.
It states that Sorinwa "shall be released from detention to enable him to attend the local accident and emergency hospital for assessment and treatment" and ordered the Home Office "to make all necessary arrangements and take all reasonable steps to secure the claimant's transfer to hospital as soon as possible".
The order also specified that Sorinwa stay at a named address on release from hospital, where he must be present daily from 6am to 8am and 9pm to 11pm.
He must report to the Home Office and be tagged.
It states that Sorinwa "shall be released from detention to enable him to attend the local accident and emergency hospital for assessment and treatment" and ordered the Home Office "to make all necessary arrangements and take all reasonable steps to secure the claimant's transfer to hospital as soon as possible".
The order also specified that Sorinwa stay at a named address on release from hospital, where he must be present daily from 6am to 8am and 9pm to 11pm.
He must report to the Home Office and be tagged.
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