Brook House: 'Fundamental action' needed after 'chilling' evidence

Stephanie Harrison QC said the Home Office "wilfully denied" responsibility

A lawyer has called on an inquiry to take "fundamental action" and a "different approach" following the abuse of detainees at Brook House.

The inquiry into mistreatment at the immigration removal centre near Gatwick Airport follows investigations triggered by Panorama in 2017.

In a closing speech, Stephanie Harrison QC said the evidence was "chilling" and attitudes of officers "disconcerting".

The Home Office said it has improved the immigration detention system.

Ms Harrison was addressing institutional failures and other issues on behalf of a number of former detainees.

'Violent and derogatory'

She said: "The Panorama programme was not the ends or the limits of the abuse.

"This inquiry has uncovered shocking patterns of inhumane and degrading treatment of detained persons... the overuse and misuse of force, and segregation."

A macho aggressive attitude "dominated" Brook House, and the infliction of pain, suffering and humiliation was "normalised", she said.

Officers were also verbally "pervasive, violent, and derogatory" to detainees, the inquiry heard.

Brook House immigration removal centre, near Gatwick Airport, can hold up to 448 detainees

"It has been disconcerting to listen to custody officers who maintain patently untrue accounts or claim no memory in the face of incontrovertible evidence of misconduct," she said.

Several of these officers still work at Brook House, and some have been promoted, the inquiry heard.

'Wilful denial'

Ms Harrison also criticised the "oblivious" attitude of senior Home Office officials, and called it a state body "driven by political imperatives to sacrifice welfare for... administrative convenience".

She said: "The wilful denial of Home Office responsibility cannot be reconciled with the evidence the inquiry has heard.

"This is important because it is the attitudes of men like these who are responsible for considering and implementing any recommendations the inquiry makes."

The Home Office, Ms Harrison said, "puts cost cutting over safety and care".

She called for immediate action and said the inquiry must take a "fundamentally different approach to previous failed investigations and reviews".

Ms Harrison also called for recommendations to include changes to Home Office policy, and for Brook House not to be used as an immigration removal centre going forward.

A Home Office Spokeswoman said: "Immigration detention plays a vital role in tackling illegal migration and protecting the public from harm.

"We have made significant improvements to detention and continue to do more as it remains vital we provide safe and secure accommodation.

"It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst the inquiry is carrying out its important work."

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