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Fury over treatment of migrants Fury over treatment of migrants
(10 minutes later)
There have been "glaring errors" in dealing with complaints about the treatment of immigrants detained in the UK, a report says. There have been "glaring errors" in dealing with complaints about the treatment of immigrants being deported from the UK, a report says.
It criticises the denial of rights to asylum seekers and refugees. It criticises the denial of rights to those dealt with by private firms on behalf of the Immigration Service.
The Border and Immigration Agency's Complaints Audit Committee adds that "upwards of 20%" of records it has sought have been missing.The Border and Immigration Agency's Complaints Audit Committee adds that "upwards of 20%" of records it has sought have been missing.
One man told the BBC he had had his leg broken and another that he had been beaten up. One man told the BBC he had been beaten up in a van by security guards.
'Not thorough''Not thorough'
The committee's report, for 2006/07, says investigations into misconduct complaints have been "poor".The committee's report, for 2006/07, says investigations into misconduct complaints have been "poor".
Only 8% of complainants were interviewed and 89% of investigations were "neither balanced nor thorough".Only 8% of complainants were interviewed and 89% of investigations were "neither balanced nor thorough".
As a result, 83% of replies were "indefensible".As a result, 83% of replies were "indefensible".
The committee found 20% of records it had tried to look at had gone missing. The committee - appointed by the Home Office - found 20% of records it had tried to look at had gone missing.
There could only be a "most limited assurance on the quality and integrity of complaints management information we have audited," it added. There could only be a "most limited assurance on the quality and integrity of complaints management information we have audited", it added.
Some 71% of misconduct complaints were not completed within time targets.Some 71% of misconduct complaints were not completed within time targets.
The report says serious misconduct complaints remain a source of "grave concern to us because of the risks of injury or death, wrongful arrest and civil liability arising from the arrest, detention and removal of failed asylum seekers".
Of those misconduct complaints received, 19% were over criminal behaviour - up from 12% in 2005/06.
'Punched'
One asylum seeker, Apollo Okello, told the BBC he had been bundled onto a plane at Heathrow and refused permission to see his lawyer, with the security guards knowing he already had permission to stay in the UK.
He struggled and was beaten up in the back of a van, he said.
He added:" That's where I was punched - my ribs, my eyes, my neck, my back.
"I was crying, shouting, crying, shouting, then one of his colleagues was very, very aggressive to me...
"Told me that these black monkeys don't want to go back to their country."
In 95% of cases, those investigating the complaints had been from the companies under investigation.
BBC home affairs editor Mark Easton said it had been the most critical report into the Home Office's work that he had seen.
In a statement, the Home Office said: "The Border and Immigration Agency has been actively working with the committee to design a radical, new complaints system which will come on line from February 2008."