G4S suspends nine workers at Brook House immigration centre over allegations staff have been filmed ‘mocking, abusing and assaulting’ detainees
Privately-run site just yards from Gatwick runway is 'rife' with drugs and abuse, according to BBC's Panorama team
PRIVATE security firm G4S has suspended nine employees over allegations of "chaos, incompetence and abuse" at an immigration centre near Gatwick Airport.
Undercover footage filmed for the BBC's Panorama reportedly shows officers "mocking, abusing and assaulting" people at Brook House.
Shocking failures in safety including "widespread self-harm and attempted suicides" have also been seen, programme makers said, and drug use is "rife".
G4S, which runs the centre, said: "There is no place for the type of conduct described."
It "immediately" began an investigation but said it had not been provided with recordings of the alleged abuse and the suspensions are "precautionary".
"We continue to focus on the care and wellbeing of detainees at Brook House", Jerry Petherick, managing director for G4S custodial and detention services in the UK, said.
The Panorama programme is due to be broadcast on Monday.
Brook House, which opened in 2009, holds nearly 400 adult male illegal immigrants and asylum seekers and foreign criminals.
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In March it was revealed inspectors at the detention centre found four men had been held for more than two years there.
The average period of stay had also nearly doubled from 28 to 48 days.
But inspectors still rated the site — which sits just yards from the Gatwick runway — as "reasonably good" in terms of safety and other factors.
A centre spokesman said at the time: "Detention is an important tool that helps us remove those with no right to be in the country and it is vital that this is carried out with dignity and respect."
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