Brooke House 'used unacceptable levels of force' against detainees Photo: Reuters/Toby Melville
Immigration removal centers need to set a time limit on how long they can hold migrants, the Home Office said.
New rules governing the use of force when removing immigrants . The centers are also “urgently needed” after an investigation found “serious shortcomings” in the safety of detained migrants.
The Government has been told it must introduce a time limit on how long migrants can be detained, ensuring they are not held for more than four weeks.
The UK is the only country in Europe without a maximum limit on the length of immigration detention.
These recommendations follow an investigation into the treatment of people detained at Brook House Immigration Removal Center (IRC) at Gatwick between April and August 2017.
The report, released today, said that during this time there was «widespread ignorance or misunderstanding» of how to apply security rules at the IRC, which led to the inappropriate use of force against those being held at Brook House.
< p >There was also evidence of “shocking” drug use and “horrifying violence” among detainees, as well as staff using force against those with mental illness.
The inquiry's chair, Kate Eves, said she had «heard evidence that this confusion and flawed implementation [of the protection rules] may persist.» jpg» />The UK is the only country in Europe where there are no restrictions on how long migrants can be detained. Photo: Jamie Lorriman
She added: “I therefore recommended the urgent development of new, comprehensive and mandatory rules on the use of force in immigration deportation centers.”< /p>
The findings come as the Home Office seeks to expand the use of immigration detention as a means of curbing illegal immigration into the UK, with the report calling on the Government to “learn from past failures”.
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Centres Immigration deportations are facilities where people facing deportation from the UK and foreign nationals who have served a prison sentence and are awaiting deportation can be held.
Ms Eves said «more needs to be done at the highest levels of government to ensure that detainees are given the dignity and compassion they deserve» and she made 33 recommendations to the Home Office.
These include a 28-day period during which migrants can be held at the IRC, since “people should not be held indefinitely for immigration purposes in an environment designed to resemble a prison.”
A formal public inquiry into Brook House was launched in November 2019 following a BBC Panorama program which revealed abuse of men at the facility in 2017.
'Credible evidence of abuse'
The investigation found 19 incidents in which there is “credible evidence” of ill-treatment of detainees at the center, contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights, regarding “torture or inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment.”
< p>The most serious incident involved «pressure being applied to a detainee's neck while he was in critical condition» and other detainees were «forcibly moved» while naked or nearly naked.
The investigation also found «repeated use of dangerous inherently a restraint technique,” which was linked to the death of a man in custody in 2010.
The firm contracted to operate Brook House was called G4S Care and Justice Services until May 2020. including during the investigation's tenure when Serco Group took over running it.
'Empty words'
Ms Eves urged the Home Office not to pay «mere lip service» to the report's findings, with the Department ordered the publication of its response within six months.
She added: “The government has made clear its intention to expand the use of immigration detention… Any expansion or other changes should be seen in the context of learning from past failures.”< /p>
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