Lincolnshire County Council has been told to pay £250 to a “likely victim of human trafficking” after failing to follow national guidance.
The Local Government Ombudsman said the authority had failed to refer the man, known as Mr B, to a National Referral Mechanism (NRM) for identifying potential victims of modern slavery.
The report also criticised the authority for interviewing him in a police station, failing to provide evidence of an appropriate adult being present, and failing to provide him with a formal copy of the result of their decision and how he could potentially challenge it.
The LGO investigation followed a complaint on Mr B’s behalf by Ms C, who said the council’s decision was “unlawful” due to the alleged failures.
Mr B came to the UK in 2017 with, Ms C said, several other people who were picked up by the police at the same time.
At the time Lincolnshire County Council determined he was over the age of 18, however, Ms C said he was a child at the time and could not complain about the assessment.
“The guidance is clear a police station is not a suitable place for an age assessment,” said the LGO’s report.
“If the council had acted as it should have done, it is likely Mr B would have been interviewed at an alternative setting with an appropriate adult present and would have been informed of how he could challenge the decision.”
The LGO, however, did not speculate about whether the outcome would have been different.
It added: “Failure to refer to the national referral mechanism meant Mr B possibly missed out on some support as a likely victim of human trafficking.
The council argued that the guidance was not statutory, however, the ombudsman said it should have followed it unless there was good reason not to – something the LGO said was not present in this case.
The report said the council had argued an appropriate adult was present and a signature was on the form, however, the LGO said it was not in the correct section and four signatures on the paperwork were for Mr B, his interpreter and the two social workers present.
The LGO did say, however, that questions were in line with guidance and that Mr B had opportunity to rest and receive food prior to being interviewed.
The LGO told the council to pay Mr B £250 compensation and to apologise to him.
The authority was also requested to remind officers of the guidance and provide evidence that training had been undertaken.
Jo Kavanagh, Assistant Director of Children’s Services, said: “We fully acknowledge and accept the findings in this case which was from four years ago.
“Following national developments, our practice has changed and improved to guard against anything similar from happening in the future.
“We are confident that our social workers are well trained and supported and that our practice is now solid and robust to ensure the issues and failings recognised in the report would not occur again.”
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A 21-year-old man has tragically died after collapsing in the street on a busy Monday evening in Cleethorpes.
Emergency services attended the scene on Grant Street shortly before 7.15pm on Monday, April 12 and a man was taken to hospital for treatment.
He later sadly died and his death is not thought to be suspicious.
It was a busy night for Humberside Police as pubs and bars reopened for outdoor custom.
Police have said they will continue their enquiries to establish the cause of death.
Officers blocked off a large section of Cleethorpes High Street from the mini roundabout at the junction with Cross Street to the Alexandra Road and Market Place roundabout, according to Grimsby Live.
Emergency services were reportedly seen in the area of the Foundry Pub, formerly called O’Neill’s, which reopened to serve customers outside on the first night that beer gardens were allowed to reopen again.
A spokesperson for Humberside Police said: “A man was reported to have collapsed in the street and there was concern for his welfare and safety. Emergency services attended immediately and took a 21-year-old man to hospital for treatment.
“Sadly the man passed away in hospital. The man’s family have been informed of his death and are being supported by specially trained officers.
“Our sympathies are with his family and friends at this very difficult time.
“The circumstances of the man’s death are not thought to be suspicious and enquiries will continue to establish the cause of his passing.”
Meanwhile, it was a busy night for Humberside Police with “lots of incidents of alcohol-fuelled disorder in Ashby, Ferry Road, Westwoodside, West Butterwick and Barnetby, resulting in 5 people in custody.”
People aged over 45 can now book their COVID vaccinations on the NHS website after the government reached its target of offering a first dose to the nine most vulnerable groups.
There were recently some technical difficulties for people accessing the NHS website, but vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi said the issues have been fixed – book a vaccine online here and find out if you are eligible.
NHS England chief executive Sir Simon Stevens said that 19 out of 20 of those most at risk of the virus have been vaccinated.
This comes ahead of the deadline of April 15 to have offered everyone in the top nine priority cohorts a COVID-19 vaccine, and England passing 27 million first doses as part of more than 32 million being given across the UK.
The aim is to offer all adults a vaccine by the end of July.
Sir Simon Stevens said: “Vaccinating 19 out of 20 people aged 50 and over is an incredible milestone.
“Thanks to our NHS nurses, doctors, pharmacists, operational managers and thousands of other staff and volunteers, the NHS Covid vaccination programme is without a doubt the most successful in our history. It’s one of our tickets out of this pandemic and offers real hope for the future.”
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “I want to thank everyone involved in the vaccine rollout which has already saved many thousands of lives.
“We will now move forward with completing essential second doses and making progress towards our target of offering all adults a vaccine by the end of July.”
Meanwhile, the first Moderna jab will be delivered in England on Tuesday, April 13 as the NHS vaccination programme reaches another milestone.
More than 20 sites will initially use the newest vaccine as the NHS continues to expand the vaccination programme.
For anyone aged 18-29 who is eligible for a jab, the Moderna vaccine provides another alternative to the AstraZeneca vaccine, amid concerns over blood clotting.