Asylum seekers say Wakefield centre felt like being in jail

The couple fled Trinidad after a string of attacks

A couple seeking asylum in the UK say conditions in the accommodation centre they were housed in were so bad they felt like they were "in jail".

The pair, who do not want to be identified for their own safety, left Trinidad after family members were shot dead and their house burned down.

They said Wakefield's Urban House was like a detention centre with people "up all hours of the night, screaming".

Mears, which runs Urban House, said it meets Home Office standards.

It said in a statement: "Urban House is an important and established initial accommodation centre for people who voluntarily seek asylum accommodation and support".

The woman and her husband told the BBC they were left with no choice except to flee the Caribbean island after a catalogue of attacks.

Mears Group, which runs Urban House, said the centre met Home Office standards

"We had to pay £2,400 to quarantine, then we were sent to Urban House in Wakefield.

"I had a very bad experience there, it is like a detention centre, people are running all hours of the night, screaming, it made me feel very depressed and like I was in a jail."

She said she and her husband had to be back at the centre by 22:00 BST.

"Women share one bathroom. The food, you have to go to the cafeteria and hold a tray and stand in a line for food.

"I am a Hindu so I don't eat beef and I told them that many times. I was called stupid and I was told there would be an investigation."

The woman, who has diabetes, said she was unable to get food between her evening meal and breakfast, leading to hypoglycaemia when her blood sugar levels dropped.

She said she was told she was not allowed to call an ambulance, adding it was like she "had no rights at all".

The couple have since been moved to Sheffield, South Yorkshire.

In a statement, Mears said service users were free to enter and exit accommodation and were not detained in any way.

It said: "Service users at Urban House have access to co-located services such as on-site NHS facilities and NHS staff who provide healthcare advice and support directly to service users.    

"Three meals a day are provided and all dietary needs are catered for."

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