Nine G4S staff suspended over migrant abuse claims

NINE G4S staff have been suspended over claims they were filmed “mocking, abusing and even assaulting” detainees at an immigration centre.

An investigation has also been launched into allegations by the BBC’S Panorama of “chaos, incompetence and abuse” at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre, near Gatwick.

The programme claims to have undercover footage showing officers “mocking, abusing and even assaulting detainees” at the facility where drugs are allegedly “rife”.

G4S said nine staff had been suspended pending further investigation.

Jerry Petherick, managing director for custodial and detention services, said: “There is no place for the type of conduct described in the allegations anywhere in G4S.

“Such behaviour is not representative of the many G4S colleagues who do a great job, often in difficult and challenging circumstances, across the country. We have not yet been provided with the recorded evidence which forms the basis of the allegations and it is inappropriate for me to prejudge the outcome of our investigation.

“Once we have seen the evidence and concluded the investigation, I will ensure that we take the appropriate action. We continue to focus on the care and well-being of detainees at Brook House.”

Brook House is one of two immigration centres run by G4S in the UK and has capacity for 508 men.

Concerns were raised in the latest inspection, which revealed four men had been held there for more than two years and that the average length of detention had increased from 28 to 48 days.

The report also highlighted issues with the “stark and impersonal” residential units and unsatisfactory sanitary facilities, leading detainees to feel they were being held in prison.

But overall the report by Peter Clarke, HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, in March said it was an “encouraging” inspection. Brook House was deemed “reasonably good” in all four healthy establishment tests – safety, respect, activities and preparation for removal or release.

It is the latest in a number of scandals to hit the security company, which is responsible for five prisons in England and Wales. Panorama uncovered alleged abuse and mistreatment of youngsters at a G4S youth detention centre in Kent last year. Another G4S facility, HMP Birmingham, was hit by riots in December 2016, some of the worst in a UK prison in years.

Thangam Debbonaire, Labour MP and chairman of the all-party parliamentary group on refugees, said the Home Office needed to take responsibility. She told BBC Radio Four’s World at One: “This contract should be, in my view, suspended and reviewed.”

The Panorama episode is due to air on BBC One at 9pm on Monday.