16 April 2012
The
human rights team at Leigh Day & Co has represented a number of people who have suffered
abusive treatment at the hands of private security guards used by the Home Office to deport them from the UK. In one case
Frances Swaine secured significant damages for a woman and her children who suffered physical and psychological abuse and despite the authorities having a clear understanding that she and some of her children suffered serious mental health problems. The family were subjected to an unreasonable level of force during the removal process and claimed that they were subjected to physical assaults, degrading treatment, verbal abuse and false imprisonment.
It has now emerged that the company contracted by the Government to carry out deportations, Reliance Security, has raised concerns about the behaviour of its own staff who were observed during charted flights by Home Office staff. Reliance was awarded the UK Borders Agency contract for escorting detainees in their care, a contract which began on 1st May 2011 and lasts for four years. Reliance succeeded G4S who faced allegations of brutal treatment and neglect of detainees. One man, Jimmy Mubenga, 46, an Angolan deportee, died while being forcibly restrained on a flight from Heathrow in October 2010.
The
Guardian has reported that Reliance is facing a number of cases alleging assault or abuse by escort guards. The company say that the cases have been investigated by the UK Borders Agency which has found that the allegations of assault are unfounded.
However, Leigh Day continues to have great concern for the safety of detainees who are deported from the UK by companies contracted by the Home Office to carry out deportations.
If you believe you have been mistreated, are or were wrongly detained during the course of deportation or during the asylum process or would simply like further information, please do contact
Frances Swaine or
Merry Varney on
0207 650 1249.
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