The demise of a person in an immigration elimination centre a fortnight in the past is believed to be linked to the drug spice, in what’s considered the primary case of its sort.
The demise comes a 12 months after an official report into situations at Brook Home close to Gatwick Airport warned that workers believed “it was solely a matter of time earlier than a detained particular person died on account of taking spice”.
The 26-year-old man, who the Observer understands was a French nationwide, died in his cell at Brook Home on 27 October. The prisons ombudsman has launched an investigation into his demise and an inquest is predicted to be held.
Diplomatic sources on the French ministry of overseas affairs instructed the Observer they’re following this case intently, along side British authorities. It’s the first demise in immigration detention and elimination for nearly a 12 months and one in all 22 such deaths prior to now decade.
Whereas no conclusive reason for demise has but been publicly confirmed, in a extremely uncommon transfer the Dwelling Workplace contractor Serco, which manages Brook Home, circulated two letters to detainees concerning the demise, each of which referenced drug use.
The primary, which was distributed on the day the person died, said: “This tragic occasion could or might not be substance-related, so I urge you to not take any uncontrolled substances.”
The second word to detainees distributed two days later stated senior officers had been “more and more involved that there are substances inside the centre that could possibly be dangerous and trigger residents to endure an excessive response, together with shedding consciousness”. Detainees had been urged to “dispose of those substances and to not take any uncontrolled tablets or powders”. The letter particularly referenced spice.
Two detainees who knew the lifeless man and spoke to the Observer on situation of anonymity stated they believed the person was in a nasty state mentally and had requested to be voluntarily returned to France.
The primary detainee stated he thought the person could have been inhaling spice via vapes and stated he had usually begged different detainees to assist him get the vapes.
The second detainee stated: “I’ve important issues concerning the rise in contraband, together with illicit medicine, inside the centre. Two detainees had been lately discovered intoxicated and unconscious and required emergency medical remedy.
“As somebody with PTSD [post-traumatic stress disorder], I can attest that the situations right here exacerbate psychological well being struggles considerably. The dearth of assist means detainees are left to their very own units, with many turning to medicine as a method of coping. The charges of violence and substance dependency have reached alarming ranges, contributing to the already difficult setting.”
Brook Home hit the headlines in 2017 after an undercover exposé by the BBC’s Panorama revealed a list of abuse of weak detainees. A public inquiry was subsequently held into situations on the centre and a part of the proof heard associated to issues with spice. The inquiry report, printed in September 2023, instructed of “spice, medicine, individuals collapsing, emergencies, individuals trying like zombies piling into one another”. It was not unusual to see individuals “wetting themselves, collapsing and frothing on the mouth”.
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The report states: “One member of the medical crew and one other workers member remarked that it was solely a matter of time earlier than a detained particular person died on account of taking spice.”
Emma Ginn, director of the charity Medical Justice, which works to assist the well being of immigration detainees, stated: “It’s deeply regarding that Brook Home contractors have talked about drug use in relation to the demise of the 26-year-old man. Immigration detention is especially dangerous for weak individuals who discover themselves locked up indefinitely and we name for its use to be ended.”
A Serco spokesperson stated: “The security and wellbeing of the residents in Brook Home is our first precedence and we’re continually working to cease the unlawful entry of medicine into the centre and forestall any additional tragedies. That is at all times difficult and we use a mixture of expertise, specialist canine and intelligence-led interventions.”
A Dwelling Workplace spokesperson stated: “The Dwelling Workplace has at all times taken a zero-tolerance strategy to drug use and we regularly evaluation and strengthen procedures to make sure illicit substances don’t enter our centres.”
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