D1851

12. 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
13. 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

14. 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

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[↩]