Man, 26, dies at detention centre near Gatwick Airport

A man has died in detention at Brook House immigration removal centre, Serco confirmed.

The security company, which manages and operates the detention centre near Gatwick Airport in West Sussex, said a 26-year-old man died on Sunday.

The Home Office said their condolences are with the man’s family and friends.

It comes almost a year after a 37-year-old Albanian man died after attempting suicide in November 2023 while he was being detained at Brook House.

A public inquiry into the detention centre concluded migrants had been subjected to abuse.

The inquiry found there had been 19 incidents of mistreatment against detainees over a five-month period in 2017.

The government has been criticised over its reaction to the inquiry, with chairwoman Kate Eves – appointed by the then-Conservative government to lead the probe – calling in September for a “reset” on an “inadequate” government response to her recommendations.

A Brook House spokesperson said: “We can confirm the death of a 26-year-old man at Brook House yesterday.”

The Gatwick Detainees Welfare Group, which supports detainees at Brook House, said “no one should take their last breath” at the centre.

Paying tribute to the man who died, the charity said on X, formerly Twitter: “On the death of a man in detention yesterday we send heartfelt condolences to his family, friends and everyone who knew and loved him.

“Brook House is prison architecture and no one should take their last breath there. We mourn that a young man died before he could be free.”

Steve Valdez-Symonds, Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, said: “We despair at reports that yet another person has died in the Brook House detention centre. Our hearts go out to his family, friends and the fellow detainees affected by this tragedy too.

“Brook House has gained notoriety for violence, racism and abuse. What part this may have in this man’s death we do not yet know, but these degradations derive from a wider failure to make a system respect human dignity and rights.

“Tragic incidents such as this emphasise why the government must bring humanity to the immigration system as much as any other policy area – people’s lives depend on it.”

Medical Justice, which works with vulnerable people in immigration detention, called immigration removal centres (IRCs) “dangerous”.

The charity made reference to Frank Ospina who died last March while he was being detained at Colnbrook immigration removal centre, in West Drayton, Middlesex, pending his removal to Colombia.

A jury at an inquest into his death found that he had died by suicide.

Medical Justice said: “Brook House Inquiry found clinical safeguards in detention to be “dysfunctional” and the systemic failures are ongoing.

“Just a matter of days ago, in response to the inquest into the suicide in immigration detention of Frank Ospina following a catalogue of failings in his care, the Home Office claimed that it has taken a number of actions to improve the safeguards for individuals in detention.

“Medical Justice has little confidence this is the case as we have seen no improvement in safety in detention following many such assurances over the years.”

If you are experiencing feelings of distress, or are struggling to cope, you can speak to the Samaritans, in confidence, on 116 123 (UK and ROI), email jo@samaritans.org, or visit the Samaritans website to find details of your nearest branch. If you are based in the USA, and you or someone you know needs mental health assistance right now, call or text 988, or visit 988lifeline.org to access online chat from the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline. This is a free, confidential crisis hotline that is available to everyone 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If you are in another country, you can go to www.befrienders.org to find a helpline near you.