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Immigration detainee 'died in handcuffs' | Immigration detainee 'died in handcuffs' |
(about 9 hours later) | |
An 84-year-old immigration detainee suffering from dementia, who was declared unfit for detention, died in handcuffs, a report has discovered. | An 84-year-old immigration detainee suffering from dementia, who was declared unfit for detention, died in handcuffs, a report has discovered. |
HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) compiled the report after visiting Harmondsworth immigration removal centre, near Heathrow airport. | HM Inspectorate of Prisons (HMIP) compiled the report after visiting Harmondsworth immigration removal centre, near Heathrow airport. |
Inspectors condemned "shocking cases where a sense of humanity was lost" at the centre in west London. | Inspectors condemned "shocking cases where a sense of humanity was lost" at the centre in west London. |
The Chief Inspector of Prisons said some services were "poorly managed". | The Chief Inspector of Prisons said some services were "poorly managed". |
The Prison Reform Trust said the centre had "forgotten the basic principles of humanity and decency". | The Prison Reform Trust said the centre had "forgotten the basic principles of humanity and decency". |
HMIP inspectors compiled the report after an unannounced visit to the centre last August. | HMIP inspectors compiled the report after an unannounced visit to the centre last August. |
Handcuffed detainees | Handcuffed detainees |
The 84-year-old was taken to hospital in handcuffs, where he died while still in restraints, inspectors found. | The 84-year-old was taken to hospital in handcuffs, where he died while still in restraints, inspectors found. |
Doctors said the Canadian man was unfit for detention or deportation after diagnosing him with Alzheimer's disease, but he was not released and no referral was made to social services. | Doctors said the Canadian man was unfit for detention or deportation after diagnosing him with Alzheimer's disease, but he was not released and no referral was made to social services. |
Medical notes described him as "frail, 84 years old, has Alzheimer's disease ... demented. Unfit for detention or deportation. Requires social care". | Medical notes described him as "frail, 84 years old, has Alzheimer's disease ... demented. Unfit for detention or deportation. Requires social care". |
He had been in handcuffs for almost five hours when he died, the report said. | He had been in handcuffs for almost five hours when he died, the report said. |
The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is preparing to investigate his death and inquest proceedings are being conducted by West London Coroner's Court. | The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman is preparing to investigate his death and inquest proceedings are being conducted by West London Coroner's Court. |
Other examples in the report included a stroke victim in a wheelchair, who was handcuffed on a journey to hospital for no obvious reason and a dying man who remained handcuffed while sedated and undergoing an angioplasty procedure in hospital. | Other examples in the report included a stroke victim in a wheelchair, who was handcuffed on a journey to hospital for no obvious reason and a dying man who remained handcuffed while sedated and undergoing an angioplasty procedure in hospital. |
Ministers have pledged to scrutinise more closely the performance of the private contractor GEO Group UK Ltd, which runs Harmondsworth. | Ministers have pledged to scrutinise more closely the performance of the private contractor GEO Group UK Ltd, which runs Harmondsworth. |
'Poorly managed' | 'Poorly managed' |
The group also runs Dungavel House immigration removal centre in South Lanarkshire. | The group also runs Dungavel House immigration removal centre in South Lanarkshire. |
Removal centres are used for temporary detention, in situations where people have no legal right to be in the UK but have refused to leave voluntarily. | Removal centres are used for temporary detention, in situations where people have no legal right to be in the UK but have refused to leave voluntarily. |
However inspectors said that 11 detainees had been held at the centre for more than a year, including a man who had been held for more than two years despite being willing to return to his own country. | However inspectors said that 11 detainees had been held at the centre for more than a year, including a man who had been held for more than two years despite being willing to return to his own country. |
There were also nearly 100 hunger-strikers identified in the six months prior to the inspection and HMIP described some of the rooms at the 600-capacity detention centre as overcrowded, dirty and bleak. | There were also nearly 100 hunger-strikers identified in the six months prior to the inspection and HMIP described some of the rooms at the 600-capacity detention centre as overcrowded, dirty and bleak. |
Juliet Lyon, from the Prison Reform Trust, said: "Have the authorities responsible for Harmondsworth forgotten the basic principles of humanity and decency that must apply to any form of custody?" | Juliet Lyon, from the Prison Reform Trust, said: "Have the authorities responsible for Harmondsworth forgotten the basic principles of humanity and decency that must apply to any form of custody?" |
Chief Inspector of Prisons Nick Hardwick said: "These were truly shocking cases, and they weren't isolated, and they reflected a culture where too often the individual human needs of the people who were being held were simply being forgotten. | |
"And in the worst case, this frail, elderly Canadian gentleman with dementia died in the most undignified and disgraceful circumstances possible, really." | |
He added there was a feeling Harmondsworth was in "a state of drift" with concerns about its future management, as the current contract was under review. | |
"The centre did not seem to be progressing and some services were being poorly managed," he said. | "The centre did not seem to be progressing and some services were being poorly managed," he said. |
"Most importantly, there needed to be a refocusing on individual needs of the most vulnerable people in detention, some of whom had been utterly failed by the system." | "Most importantly, there needed to be a refocusing on individual needs of the most vulnerable people in detention, some of whom had been utterly failed by the system." |
The report said on at least two occasions, inspectors discovered elderly and vulnerable detainees were "needlessly handcuffed in an excessive and unacceptable manner". | The report said on at least two occasions, inspectors discovered elderly and vulnerable detainees were "needlessly handcuffed in an excessive and unacceptable manner". |
'Completely unjustified' | 'Completely unjustified' |
Immigration minister Mark Harper said the use of restraint in the case of the dementia sufferer seemed "completely unjustified and must not be repeated". | Immigration minister Mark Harper said the use of restraint in the case of the dementia sufferer seemed "completely unjustified and must not be repeated". |
"Clearly, performance by the contractor running Harmondsworth has been below the high standard expected," Mr Harper said. | "Clearly, performance by the contractor running Harmondsworth has been below the high standard expected," Mr Harper said. |
"This report makes a number of recommendations that we will be taking forward and I expect to see significant improvement." | "This report makes a number of recommendations that we will be taking forward and I expect to see significant improvement." |
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This shocking report exposes incidents of inhumanity." | Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: "This shocking report exposes incidents of inhumanity." |
"Terminally ill, dying elderly people should not be handcuffed to their hospital bed. People will rightly be appalled by this incident and the Home Secretary should be appalled too." | "Terminally ill, dying elderly people should not be handcuffed to their hospital bed. People will rightly be appalled by this incident and the Home Secretary should be appalled too." |
In a statement Harmondsworth contractor GEO said: "Detainees are not routinely handcuffed when taken out of the centre. | In a statement Harmondsworth contractor GEO said: "Detainees are not routinely handcuffed when taken out of the centre. |
"However, where there is a documented risk of absconding, handcuffs may be used, balanced against a number of factors, including their age. | "However, where there is a documented risk of absconding, handcuffs may be used, balanced against a number of factors, including their age. |
"Managers have to use discretion to take difficult decisions and we have issued them with additional guidance." | "Managers have to use discretion to take difficult decisions and we have issued them with additional guidance." |
The contractor added that GEO Group UK Ltd had an "excellent track record" of providing services as evidenced in other recent reports by the HMIP. | The contractor added that GEO Group UK Ltd had an "excellent track record" of providing services as evidenced in other recent reports by the HMIP. |