James Farquhar, a 42-year-old Scottish expat from Glasgow, claims he is stuck 'in limbo' in a grim Spanish immigration detention centre due to bureaucratic red tape. He was detained by immigration police in Benidorm after exceeding the nine-month maximum stay permitted for non-residents.
Detention at Valencia Centre
Farquhar was taken to the Centro de Internamiento de Extranjeros de Valencia (CIE), a facility holding scores of undocumented immigrants. His situation was compounded by an expired passport. He voluntarily surrendered to police after they visited his parents' home in Benidorm.
Assault Allegation Complicates Case
Farquhar's deportation is delayed by a pending judicial decision on an outstanding criminal allegation involving a pub disturbance a year ago, where a man's finger was bitten. Farquhar denies the allegation, calling it a case of mistaken identity. He has not been convicted of any offence in Spain.
Farquhar said: 'I feel that I'm stuck indefinitely, in a state of limbo, in a cell with five other men and with no updates on how long I'll be in here. I've been stuck here for more than two weeks awaiting deportation to the United Kingdom and I've been given no updates on how long I could be here.'
Conditions and Legal Representation
Farquhar is the only English speaker in a unit housing up to 120 detainees. He has not been assigned a legal aid lawyer. He described the centre as 'a scary place' with 'lurking violence between Algerian and Moroccan prisoners and frequent lockdowns.' He added: 'The conditions aren't great and neither is the food. But I am terrified I get stuck in here and forgotten about by authorities.'
Residence Application Thwarted
Farquhar has lived in Spain for over ten years, recently working as a graphic designer for bars and restaurants. His long-term partner is a Spanish resident. His application for residence in Spain has been blocked by the assault allegation awaiting a judge's decision. He waived his right to appeal to speed up removal, but remains detained without a clear timeframe.
An FCDO spokesperson said: 'We are supporting a British national detained in Spain and in contact with the local authorities.' The Record has contacted the Spanish Guardia Civil for comment.
