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Three more centre escapees caught | |
(30 minutes later) | |
Police have recaptured three of the 14 convicted criminals who escaped from an immigration centre. | |
Twenty-six detainees fled Campsfield House in Kidlington, Oxford, after a fire was started on Saturday night. | Twenty-six detainees fled Campsfield House in Kidlington, Oxford, after a fire was started on Saturday night. |
The search continues for the remaining 11 still at large and officers have been raiding addresses across the UK. | |
On Tuesday, more than 50 officers scoured more than 20 addresses. One man recaptured on Sunday has been sent back to his country of origin. | |
Meanwhile, a demonstration was held in support of detainees at the centre. | |
It is not as if 50% of the people at Campsfield are convicted murderers - some have committed minor crimes Liz Peretz, from Campaign to Close Campsfield | It is not as if 50% of the people at Campsfield are convicted murderers - some have committed minor crimes Liz Peretz, from Campaign to Close Campsfield |
Demonstrations in support of all immigration detainees are also planned for Lindholme near Doncaster and Communications House in central London. | Demonstrations in support of all immigration detainees are also planned for Lindholme near Doncaster and Communications House in central London. |
The Campaign to Close Campsfield, which has announced the protests, holds a demonstration outside Campsfield on the last Saturday of every month. | The Campaign to Close Campsfield, which has announced the protests, holds a demonstration outside Campsfield on the last Saturday of every month. |
Liz Peretz, from the group, said: "We stood outside the centre and shouted messages of support to the people inside. | Liz Peretz, from the group, said: "We stood outside the centre and shouted messages of support to the people inside. |
"We were showing our support for the issues that they were trying to raise with the Home Office, who have treated them poorly. | "We were showing our support for the issues that they were trying to raise with the Home Office, who have treated them poorly. |
Campsfield was converted to a detention centre in 1993 | Campsfield was converted to a detention centre in 1993 |
"It is not as if 50% of the people at Campsfield are convicted murderers - some have committed minor crimes like working without official papers and documentation." | "It is not as if 50% of the people at Campsfield are convicted murderers - some have committed minor crimes like working without official papers and documentation." |
Asst Ch Con Francis Habgood, of Thames Valley Police, who is coordinating the operation to recapture the detainees, said: "All of those escaped had served a custodial sentence for a range of offences and were being considered for deportation." | |
Officers in riot gear were brought in to deal with a disturbance at Campsfield on Saturday night, when a fire was lit in the building. | Officers in riot gear were brought in to deal with a disturbance at Campsfield on Saturday night, when a fire was lit in the building. |
'Not pleasant' | 'Not pleasant' |
There has been criticism of the conditions in which detainees at the centre are held and last week more than 150 of them staged a hunger strike. | There has been criticism of the conditions in which detainees at the centre are held and last week more than 150 of them staged a hunger strike. |
But Lin Homer, the chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency, said the detainees could help themselves. | But Lin Homer, the chief executive of the Border and Immigration Agency, said the detainees could help themselves. |
She said: "I think the accusation that's been made by some of the detainees is it's not very pleasant to be in our detention centres. | She said: "I think the accusation that's been made by some of the detainees is it's not very pleasant to be in our detention centres. |
"I am afraid my response to that is many of them could speed up their removal to their countries of origin by working with us to gain travel documents. | "I am afraid my response to that is many of them could speed up their removal to their countries of origin by working with us to gain travel documents. |
"If they don't like being in the detention centre I just invite them to help us to get them their documents so they can go home." | |
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