Desperate Romanian man sets himself alight

In south-east Spain, a Romanian man has been left seriously hurt after setting himself alight in a desperate bid to be returned home. His daughter said he’d arrived in Spain after being promised work and housing, but he had discovered he had been swindled.

After pleading in vain for several weeks with authorities in Castellon for help in buying a ticket to go back to Romania the man took matters into his own hands. His family said it was an act of “complete desperation.” A nearby police officer was also hurt as he tried to put out the flames. The authorities say he appears to be a victim of mafia-style gangs who exploit cheap foreign labour.

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