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D1851

  1. D1851 is a Nigerian national who came to the UK in June 2015.1 He told the Inquiry that he is married to an EU citizen and that he was unlawfully detained at Brook House from April to July 2017.2
  2. When D1851 first arrived at Brook House, he thought the environment was like a prison.3 He found it oppressive, the conditions “disgusting” and felt that his experience was “completely dehumanising”.4 He saw staff using “bad and abusive language”.5 In terms of the manner in which staff spoke to detained people, he said: “You’re reminded and being told, ‘You should know your place’.”6 He felt he could not complain:

“no-one will listen to you, because, in reality, no-one cares about what is happening to you”.7

He was “reminded every day that you could be picked up and thrown back to where you came from at any time”, which made him feel stressed and depressed.8

  1. D1851 described the effect that Brook House had on his mental health as “crushing.9 Since his detention, he has been diagnosed with PTSD, anxiety and depression,10 and he has experienced negative intrusive thoughts on a regular basis, flashbacks and nightmares.11 Speaking about his time at Brook House, D1851 said:

I don’t pray anyone experiences it, and part of the reason why I came into this inquiry is to please do something about it.12

References


  1. D1851 3 December 2022 58/22-23[]
  2. D1851 3 December 2022 59/4-15[]
  3. D1851 3 December 2022 63/20-64/6[]
  4. DL0000143_0001 para 4[]
  5. DL0000143_0007 para 28[]
  6. D1851 3 December 2022 66/21-22[]
  7. D1851 3 December 2022 98/19-20[]
  8. D1851 3 December 2022 73/3-5[]
  9. D1851 3 December 2022 60/6[]
  10. DL0000143_0001 para 3[]
  11. D1851 3 December 2022 111/2-12[]
  12. D1851 3 December 2022 104/6-9[]

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