Allegations at G4S' Brook House brings up memories of violent deportations

Nine G4S staff members were suspended from its immigration removal centre outside Gatwick Airport after BBC's Panorama said an undercover investigation had collected covert footage at the Brook House facility of officers "mocking, abusing and assaulting" detainees.

The London based security firm said it was aware of the allegations and "immediately" began an investigation, suspended the employees in question as a "precaution" and reported the claims to "the relevant authorities."

"Such behaviour is not representative of the many G4S colleagues who do a great job, often in difficult and challenging circumstances," G4S' managing director of custodial and detention services in the UK, Jerry Petherick, said.

Panorama said it witnessed "chaos, incompetence and abuse" at Brook House, as failed asylum seekers were forced to share rooms with foreign criminals who were serving unfinished prison sentences, leading to "widespread self-harm and attempted suicides."

The centre, operated privately by G4S on behalf of the UK Home Office, is one of 11 detention centres in England, which took an accumulative 28,908 people between them – 71 of which were children.

A spokesman for the Home Office said, "We are clear that all detainees should be treated with dignity and respect and we expect G4S to carry out a thorough investigation into these allegations and that all appropriate action be taken."

In 2010, the same year Brook House was branded "fundamentally unsafe" just 12 months after its opening; four G4S guards were accused of manslaughter when they forced down the head of 46-year old Angolan deportee, Jimmy Mubenga, restricting his breath as flight BA77 took off from Heathrow.

They were cleared of all charges after a six week trial at the Old Bailey in 2013, however a former British Airways staff member, Louise Graham, filed suit against G4S in September 2015 after witnessing Mubenga's death and the "almighty roar" he let out as he asserted "they're killing me".

G4S insisted Graham was too far away from the events to be entitled to sue.

BBC's Panorama episode will air on 4 September.

As of 1225 BST, G4S shares were up 1.55% on the day at 287.90p.