Homeless man mourned by Jeremy Corbyn was suspected migrant sex offender

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent flowers and a card
Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn sent flowers and a card  Credit: JUSTIN TALLIS/AFP

The homeless man whose death yards from Parliament was decried by Jeremy Corbyn was a migrant sex offender, it has been disclosed.

The former model from Portugal who was found in Westminster underground station has been confirmed as 35-year-old Marcos Amaral Gourgel.

Flowers were left at the scene of his death by Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn with a note reading: “This should never have happened. As a country we must stop walking by.”

But Portuguese government officials confirmed that the man, of Angolan origin, had been deported from the UK twice before in 2014 and 2016.

Portuguese newspaper Correio da Manha also claimed his first deportation happened after he served prison time for sexually abusing a child.

The man was discovered in Westminster underground station
The man was discovered in Westminster underground station Credit: Justin Tallis/AFP

The Ministry of Portuguese Communities Abroad told Portuguese daily Expresso: “In 2014 he was deported to Portugal by the British authorities and assisted on his return.

“In 2016 we were made aware he had been deported again from the UK for being in the country illegally.”

When news of his death emerged Mr Corbyn wrote on Twitter: “I've just been told about the death of a rough sleeper right by the entrance to Parliament.

“The powerful can't carry on walking by on the other side while people don't have a home to call their own.

Jeremy Corbyn tweeted about the incident
Jeremy Corbyn tweeted about the incident

“It's time all MPs took up this moral challenge and properly housed everyone.”

The man was a regular at an emergency shelter run by central London homelessness charity The Connection.

Pam Orchard, the charity's chief executive, said: “These tragic deaths are not just statistics. Everyone who is homeless is someone's son or brother or dad.”

Scotland Yard said the death is being treated as unexplained, but not suspicious.

Scotland Yard and the Home Office were unable to comment on the allegations of child sex offences.

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