Cymraeg isod
The Independent Office for Police Conduct’s (IOPC) investigation into the tragic death of Mustafa Dawood in Newport in 2018 recommended a number of improvements to the planning and operation of enforcement visits by immigration officers.
Following the conclusion of our independent investigation into the death of Sudanese national Mustafa Dawood on 30 June 2018, we made a series of recommendations to the Home Office in 2019, all of which were accepted. The recommendations included the need for tailored risk assessments; better contingency planning and safeguarding; and improved support from command officers for operational staff when carrying out enforcement visits.
As the inquest into Mr Dawood’s death has now ended at Newport Coroner’s Court, with the jury today (Friday) recording a narrative determination, we are now in a position to publish details of our conclusions. We have also published our investigation report.
Mr Dawood, 23, died after he ran off from immigration officers during an enforcement visit to the Shaftesbury Car Wash, on Albany Street in Newport. The car wash was located on the forecourt of a large complex which also included a storage and warehousing unit. Immigration officers initially followed Mr Dawood into the warehouse. Mr Dawood then climbed onto the roof of the warehouse before falling from a significant height through the corrugated plastic roof of an annex building, where he was later located by officers.
Officers called an ambulance and performed CPR until paramedics arrived. Mr Dawood was taken to the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff where he was sadly later pronounced dead.
Investigators obtained accounts from the immigration officers who attended that day and statements from independent witnesses. We also reviewed CCTV footage and photos, medical evidence, and relevant policies, procedures, and legislation.
Immigration Enforcement officers carried out the pre-planned visit, based on intelligence of illegal working at the car wash. While there was no procedural requirement for a physical reconnaissance of the site, the short, generic risk assessment carried out, coupled with the fact just four officers were in attendance, was in our view insufficient for the scale of the site and associated risks. None of the officers were equipped with body-worn video cameras, nor was their radio communication recorded.
We also concluded that officers involved in the visit, who all had up to date training, could have benefitted from greater proactive support and direction from senior staff off-site as well as better communication during the operation.
IOPC Director for Wales, Catrin Evans said: “It is desperately sad that a young man who fled his own country to seek safety here in the UK died in such awful circumstances. I recognise his untimely death has had a profound effect on his family and friends, the Sudanese community here and beyond, and all those who were involved and witnessed the tragic event. I again send Mustafa Dawood’s family my heartfelt condolences at this difficult time.
“We carefully investigated how the enforcement visit that morning was planned and carried out. Our investigation concluded that the officers’ actions were broadly in line with policies and procedures and no individual immigration enforcement officer behaved in a manner that would justify disciplinary proceedings. Mustafa ran off almost immediately after officers arrived and we found no evidence this tragic outcome could have been reasonably foreseen by those present.
“However, we identified significant organisational learning to try to help better safeguard individuals when suddenly encountering immigration officials in such circumstances. Our recommendations will help reduce the risk of others being injured in the future and should serve to develop practice and procedures within Immigration Enforcement to improve public confidence.”
A short video of Catrin Evans speaking about our investigation is available in English and Welsh.
The IOPC made the following recommendations to the Home Office, which were accepted:
1. That Immigration Enforcement ensures all enforcement visits are subject to a tailored, written risk assessment, which will include specific information regarding: a) the size and layout of the specific premises to be visited and how immigration officers will manage visits to multiple business premises on the same site; b) the legal powers of immigration officers to be used during the visit; c) contingency planning for how immigration officers will manage the situation if a person flees before they have obtained verbal consent to enter the premises; d) relevant safeguarding considerations that may potentially be relevant to the enforcement visit; e) how and in what circumstances the OIC will make and communicate any decision to abandon a foot pursuit; and f) any other relevant information.
2. That Silver and Gold Command within Immigration Enforcement should provide immigration officers with a greater level of proactive support and direction.
3. That the Home Office should ensure as a matter of urgency that all immigration enforcement vehicles are equipped with first-aid kits as per policy.
4. That Immigration Enforcement ensures that its guidance to immigration officers regarding powers of entry and seeking consent to enter premises is clear, consistent, and in line with applicable legislation.
5. That Immigration Enforcement considers the use of body-worn video cameras and recording radio transmissions during enforcement visits, to capture the best possible evidence of the sequence of events.
6. That Immigration Enforcement implements post-incident procedures to preserve the integrity of accounts following serious incidents.
The IOPC were notified on the 30 June 2018 by Immigration Enforcement and attended the scene that day to begin our enquiries. After the end of the investigation in summer 2019, we subsequently shared our report with Mr Dawood’s family, the Coroner, and Immigration Enforcement. We shared with Mr Dawood’s family relevant CCTV footage of what happened.
The IOPC has jurisdiction over Immigration Enforcement officers when carrying out specified enforcement functions in relation to immigration.
Argymhellion a wnaed ar gyfer gwelliannau i ymweliadau Gorfodi Mewnfudo yn dilyn ymchwiliad i farwolaeth Mustafa Dawood
Argymhellodd ymchwiliad y Swyddfa Annibynnol Ymddygiad yr Heddlu (IOPC) i farwolaeth drasig Mustafa Dawood yng Nghasnewydd yn 2018 nifer o welliannau i gynllunio a gweithredu ymweliadau gorfodi gan swyddogion mewnfudo.
Yn dilyn casgliad ein hymchwiliad annibynnol i farwolaeth Mustafa Dawood, gwladolyn o Swdan, ar 30 Mehefin 2018, gwnaethom gyfres o argymhellion i’r Swyddfa Gartref yn 2019, a derbyniwyd pob un ohonynt. Roedd yr argymhellion yn cynnwys yr angen am asesiadau risg wedi'u teilwra; gwell cynllunio a diogelu wrth gefn; a gwell cefnogaeth gan swyddogion rheoli ar gyfer staff gweithredol wrth gynnal ymweliadau gorfodi.
Gan fod y cwest i farwolaeth Mr Dawood bellach wedi dod i ben yn Llys y Crwner Casnewydd, gyda’r rheithgor heddiw (dydd Gwener) yn cofnodi penderfyniad naratif, rydym bellach mewn sefyllfa i gyhoeddi manylion ein casgliadau. Rydym hefyd wedi cyhoeddi adroddiad ein hymchwiliad.
Bu farw Mr Dawood, 23, ar ôl iddo redeg i ffwrdd o swyddogion mewnfudo yn ystod ymweliad gorfodi â Golchfa Ceir Shaftesbury, ar Heol Albany yng Nghasnewydd. Roedd yr olchfa ceir wedi'i lleoli ar gwrt blaen cyfadeilad mawr a oedd hefyd yn cynnwys uned storio a warysau. I ddechrau, dilynodd swyddogion mewnfudo Mr Dawood i'r warws. Yna dringodd Mr Dawood i do'r warws cyn cwympo o uchder sylweddol trwy do plastig rhychog adeilad cysylltiol, lle cafodd ei ddarganfod yn ddiweddarach gan swyddogion.
Galwodd y swyddogion am ambiwlans a pherfformio CPR nes i barafeddygon gyrraedd. Aed â Mr Dawood i Ysbyty Athrofaol Cymru yng Nghaerdydd lle, yn anffodus, y datganwyd ei fod wedi marw.
Casglodd ymchwilwyr adroddiadau gan y swyddogion mewnfudo a fynychodd y diwrnod hwnnw a datganiadau gan dystion annibynnol. Gwnaethom hefyd adolygu lluniau a lluniau teledu cylch cyfyng, tystiolaeth feddygol, a pholisïau, gweithdrefnau a deddfwriaeth berthnasol.
Cynhaliodd swyddogion Gorfodi Mewnfudo yr ymweliad a gynlluniwyd ymlaen llaw, yn seiliedig ar wybodaeth am weithio'n anghyfreithlon yn yr olchfa ceir. Er nad oedd unrhyw ofyniad gweithdrefnol ar gyfer rhagchwiliad corfforol o'r safle, roedd yr asesiad risg generig byr a gynhaliwyd, ynghyd â'r ffaith mai dim ond pedwar swyddog oedd yn bresennol, yn annigonol yn ein barn ni ar gyfer graddfa'r safle a'r risgiau cysylltiedig. Nid oedd gan yr un o'r swyddogion gamerâu fideo a wisgwyd ar y corff, ac ni recordiwyd eu cyfathrebu radio.
Daethom i'r casgliad hefyd y gallai swyddogion a fu'n rhan o'r ymweliad, a oedd oll wedi derbyn hyfforddiant cyfredol, fod wedi elwa o fwy o gefnogaeth ac arweiniad rhagweithiol gan uwch staff oddi ar y safle yn ogystal â gwell cyfathrebu yn ystod yr ymgyrch.
Dywedodd Cyfarwyddwr IOPC Cymru, Catrin Evans: “Mae’n drist iawn bod dyn ifanc a ffodd o’i wlad ei hun i geisio diogelwch yma yn y Deyrnas Unedig wedi marw mewn amgylchiadau mor ofnadwy. Rwy'n cydnabod bod ei farwolaeth cyn pryd wedi cael effaith ddwys ar ei deulu a'i ffrindiau, y gymuned Swdanaidd yma a thu hwnt, a phawb a fu'n rhan o'r digwyddiad trasig ac a welodd y digwyddiad trasig hwnnw. Unwaith eto, anfonaf fy nghydymdeimlad diffuant at deulu Mustafa Dawood yn y cyfnod anodd hwn.
“Fe wnaethon ni ymchwilio’n ofalus i sut y cafodd yr ymweliad gorfodi y bore hwnnw ei gynllunio a’i gynnal. Daeth ein hymchwiliad i'r casgliad bod gweithredoedd y swyddogion yn unol yn fras â pholisïau a gweithdrefnau ac nad oedd unrhyw swyddog gorfodi mewnfudo unigol yn ymddwyn mewn modd a fyddai'n cyfiawnhau achos disgyblu. Rhedodd Mustafa i ffwrdd bron yn syth ar ôl i swyddogion gyrraedd ac ni welsom unrhyw dystiolaeth y gallai'r canlyniad trasig hwn fod wedi'i ragweld yn rhesymol gan y rhai a oedd yn bresennol.
“Fodd bynnag, gwnaethom nodi dysgu sefydliadol sylweddol i geisio helpu amddiffyn unigolion yn well wrth ddod ar draws swyddogion mewnfudo yn sydyn o dan amgylchiadau o'r fath. Bydd ein hargymhellion yn helpu lleihau’r risg y bydd eraill yn cael eu hanafu yn y dyfodol a dylid eu defnyddio i ddatblygu arfer a gweithdrefnau o fewn Gorfodi Mewnfudo i wella hyder y cyhoedd.”
Mae fideo byr o Catrin Evans yn siarad am ein hymchwiliad ar gael yn Saesneg a Chymraeg.
Gwnaeth yr IOPC yr argymhellion canlynol i'r Swyddfa Gartref, a dderbyniwyd:
1. Bod Gorfodi Mewnfudo yn sicrhau bod pob ymweliad gorfodi yn destun asesiad risg ysgrifenedig wedi'i deilwra, a fydd yn cynnwys gwybodaeth benodol ynghylch: a) maint a chynllun y lleoliad penodol yr ymwelir ag o, a sut y bydd swyddogion mewnfudo yn rheoli ymweliadau â nifer o adeiladau busnes ar yr un safle; b) pwerau cyfreithiol swyddogion mewnfudo i'w defnyddio yn ystod yr ymweliad; c) cynllunio wrth gefn ar gyfer sut y bydd swyddogion mewnfudo yn rheoli'r sefyllfa os yw person yn ffoi cyn cael caniatâd llafar i fynd i mewn i'r adeilad; d) ystyriaethau diogelu perthnasol a allai fod yn berthnasol i'r ymweliad gorfodi; e) sut ac o dan ba amgylchiadau y bydd yr OIC yn gwneud ac yn cyfleu unrhyw benderfyniad i roi'r gorau i ymlid ar droed; ac f) unrhyw wybodaeth berthnasol arall.
2. Y dylai'r Gorchymyn Arian ac Aur o fewn Gorfodi Mewnfudo roi lefel uwch o gefnogaeth ac arweiniad rhagweithiol i swyddogion mewnfudo.
3. Y dylai'r Swyddfa Gartref sicrhau ar frys bod citiau cymorth cyntaf yn unol â'r polisi ym mhob bob cerbyd gorfodi mewnfudo.
4. Bod Gorfodi Mewnfudo yn sicrhau bod ei ganllaw i swyddogion mewnfudo ynghylch pwerau mynediad a cheisio caniatâd i fynd i mewn i adeilad yn glir, yn gyson, ac yn unol â deddfwriaeth berthnasol.
5. Bod Gorfodi Mewnfudo yn ystyried defnyddio camerâu fideo a wisgir ar y corff a recordio darllediadau radio yn ystod ymweliadau gorfodi, i gipio'r dystiolaeth orau bosibl o ddilyniant y digwyddiadau.
6. Bod Gorfodi Mewnfudo yn gweithredu gweithdrefnau ar ôl digwyddiad i gadw cyfanrwydd adroddiadau yn dilyn digwyddiadau difrifol.
Hysbyswyd yr IOPC ar 30 Mehefin 2018 gan Orfodi Mewnfudo a mynychwyd y lleoliad y diwrnod hwnnw i ddechrau ein hymholiadau. Ar ôl diwedd yr ymchwiliad yn haf 2019, fe wnaethom rannu ein hadroddiad gyda theulu Mr Dawood, y Crwner, a Gorfodi Mewnfudo. Fe rannom luniau teledu cylch cyfyng perthnasol gyda theulu Mr Dawood o'r hyn a ddigwyddodd.
Mae gan yr IOPC awdurdodaeth dros swyddogion Gorfodi Mewnfudo wrth gyflawni swyddogaethau gorfodi penodol mewn perthynas â mewnfudo.