WARNING: Contains distressing details
A public inquiry has found “unacceptable” incidents of mistreatment, physical violence and “dangerous” use of force against people detained at Brook House immigration removal centre in 2017.
The report found a “toxic” and “dysfunctional” culture at Brook House in 2017 with people detained there subject to “threatening”, “abusive” and “racist” language.
The Brook House public inquiry was set up to investigate the treatment of individuals held at Brook House between 1 April 2017 and 31 August 2017, after a BBC Panorama investigation found instances of mistreatment at the centre.
The inquiry, which has involved more than three years of investigation and evidence gathering, has published its final report today (Sept 19).
The inquiry found 19 incidents of mistreatment over a five-month period, contrary to Article 3 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
These incidents included the use of pressure on a detained man’s neck while he was in distress, which could have resulted in “serious injury.”
In the footage of the incident, which was submitted to the Inquiry, the officer said to the individual: “You f**king piece of shit, because I’m going to put to f**king sleep.”
Other incidents involved the repeated use of a dangerous restraint technique and instances of men being forcibly moved when they were naked or near naked.
The inquiry also found “serious failings” in safeguarding which led to vulnerable people being detained at Brook House.
The inquiry found this will have led to a deterioration in mental and physical health as well as an “increased risk of self harm and suicide.” This was described as “completely unacceptable.”
Brook House, located next to Gatwick Airport, is one of seven immigration removal centres in the UK. It holds between 300 and 400 adult men waiting to find out whether they have the right to stay in the country. If not, they may be removed or deported from the UK.
The findings from the report include:
- A total of 19 incidents of 'mistreatment'
- “Dangerous techniques” of force were used on detained people that could lead to “serious injury or death”
- The use of force was ‘inappropriate’ and, at times, force was used on people who were harming themselves
- There was evidence of physical violence used against detained people
- There were “serious failings” in safeguarding which led to vulnerable people being detained at Brook House
- The culture among G4S staff at Brook House was described as “toxic” and “dysfunctional”
- Segregation was used “inappropriately” and “improperly” as a punishment
- “Threatening”, “abusive” and “racist” language was used towards men detained at Brook House
- Illicit drug use by detained people was a “significant problem”
- Issues with overcrowding and poor facilities which contributed to “already challenging living conditions”
One individual, a Romanian national, detained at Brook House in 2017 described the use of force by staff. He said: “I was shouting and howling in pain - I was struggling to breathe, I thought I might be dying…That moment, I felt I was looking at death.”
The individual, who has not been identified, said his time in Brook House “broke my life.”
The Chair of the Brook House Inquiry, Kate Eves, said: “Under the Home Office and its contractor, G4S, Brook House was not sufficiently decent, secure, or caring for detained people or its staff at the time these events took place.
“An environment flourished in which unacceptable treatment became more likely.”
The Brook House Inquiry has involved more than three years of evidence gathering with former detained people, G4S staff, the Home Office and charities to investigate what occurred at the immigration removal centre in 2017.
The security firm, G4S, managed Brook House on behalf of the UK government from 2009 to May 2020. Brook House has since been managed by public services provider Serco.
The Inquiry also “identified evidence” to suggest some of the issues raised in the inquiry continue to “persist” under Serco’s management of Brook House.
“They treated us like animals…You felt like you’re not a human being”
The News Movement spoke with one individual, Joseph*, who described incidents of self-harm and racist abuse while he was held in Brook House.
Joseph said he was held in the immigration removal centre during the years 2014, 2015 and 2017. This has been confirmed by the charity Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, who were one of the core participants of the Brook House Inquiry.
Speaking to TNM under the condition of anonymity, Joseph described Brook House as a “nightmare” that was worse than his experience in prison.
He said: “Even prison wasn’t as bad as Brook House… it was more of a discipline[d] place where your rights have been stripped. You’re basically a nobody and the racism there with certain officers was strong."
The individual claimed: “Some officers will be like: ‘You’re a m*nkey, go back to your country, this is not your country.’
“Some officers they’ll have jokes like ‘Look at these g*rillas’ around the place.”
Joseph, who is of African descent, said: “When it comes to Africans, we’re treated as animals…It’s just a lot of Africans, Somalians, Congolese, Ugandan, Afghanistan, you got all of us in there. They treat[ed] us like animals and criminals.”
Joseph described the hopelessness and trauma he experienced while being held indefinitely at Brook House.
He said: “They just make you wait there. You don’t know the outcome. They keep sending you these threats, letters, that give[s] you panic attacks, because you don’t know what’s happening.. Your heart is beating 100 miles per hour.
“It is not a place for humans…everyday you have people that's self-harming, trying to harm themselves, even me as well, trying to harm myself.”
The News Movement approached the Home Office and G4S for comment on Joseph's account.
The recommendations
The Brook House Inquiry report contains 33 recommendations aimed at preventing an incident like this from happening again. The vast majority of the recommendations have been directed to the Home Office or the government more generally.
One of the main recommendations to the government is the introduction of a maximum 28-day time limit for individuals detained at IRCs in the UK. Currently, people can be held indefinitely and are often not given a release date. In July 2017, the average stay at Brook House was 44 days.
The Chair of the Inquiry acknowledged indefinite detention “caused uncertainty and anxiety for detained people and had a detrimental effect on their wellbeing.”
The inquiry also found “new comprehensive and mandatory rules” is urgently needed to detail how force is used in IRCs.
The inquiry states further training and clarification is needed on the use of segregation and its impact on a detained person’s physical or mental health.
In relation to the use of “derogatory” and “racist” language, the inquiry recommends the Home Office and its contractors ensure IRC staff receive training on mental health as well as race and diversity.
The Chair said: “If implemented, these recommendations will enhance the Immigration Detention profession and improve the experience for those it serves.”
A spokesperson for G4S said: "G4S has provided its full support to the Brook House Inquiry and will carefully consider the Inquiry’s recommendations.
"The vast majority of employees at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre were focused on the wellbeing of the detained people and carried out their duties to a high standard, often in exceptionally challenging circumstances.
"We were appalled when, in 2017, a number of former employees acted in a way that was contrary to our values, policies and their training and for this we are sorry.
"This behaviour was unacceptable and the company took swift action, including dismissing a number of individuals and commissioning an independent review carried out by Verita.
"In addition to actions taken by G4S to strengthen governance and controls at Brook House, the company accepted and implemented all of Verita’s recommendations including improving the detainee experience and support provided, and the training and development of employees.
"Following the improvements implemented by G4S, Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Prisons carried out an inspection in 2019 and “found no evidence” that the behaviours seen in the BBC programme were present. Instead the “detainee survey and interviews found that most detainees were positive about the way they were treated by staff.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: "The abuse that took place at Brook House in 2017 was unacceptable.
“The government has made significant improvements since then to uphold the welfare and dignity of those detained including strengthening safeguards, promoting a culture of transparency and improving the oversight of contractors’ performance.
“We remain committed to ensuring safety and security in all Immigration Removal Centres and to learn lessons from Brook House to ensure these events never happen again.
“We thank the Chair and Inquiry team for their report and are carefully considering every recommendation.”
We approached Serco for comment.