Colnbrook IRC

Colnbrook IRC is an immigration removal centre. It was opened by Premier Detention Services (a Serco subsidiary) in August 2004, and run by Serco until September 2014 when it was taken over by Mitie Care and Custody and 'merged' with Harmondsworth IRC to form what is sometimes called Heathrow IRC.

Centre Managers

• Ken Paul for Serco in 2005
• Craig Thomson was contract director for Serco at Colnbrook IRC from 2006 to December 2009.
• Michael Guy for Serco from April 2012 to April 2014
• James Wilkinson was contract Director for Serco at Colnbrook IRC from April 2014 to September 2014.

Senior staff

• Paul Rennie was deputy contract director for Serco at Colnbrook IRC from September 2008 to April 2009. He had "Operational responsibility for the contract, including procedural, physical and dynamic security elements, business operations and organic growth opportunities."
• Ian Scrupps was deputy contract director for Serco at Colnbrook IRC from August 2008 to January 2010.
• Jon Palmer was an assistant director at Serco in the UK from May 2005 to April 2012 with some involvement at Colnbrook IRC.

Death of Kenny Peter

On 7 November 2004, Kenny Peter, a 24-year-old asylum seeker died hospital, "nearly three weeks after sustaining serious injuries after jumping from a second-floor landing at Colnbrook." According to the Institute of Race Relations, "He suffered from mental health problems and while held in detention it was recommended at least six times that he be referred to a psychiatrist – yet this was never followed up. The inquest in September 2006 recorded a lengthy narrative verdict that listed numerous deficiencies and failures by immigration staff, staff at the centre and in the healthcare unit at Colnbrook."

The jury's inquistion identified failures includings:

"*A failure in the healthcare unit of Colnbrook to pursue the matter of prescribed anti-depressants;

• A failure in the healthcare unit to ensure Kenny was seen by a doctor within 24 hours of admission;
• A failure in the healthcare unit to arrange assessment by a psychiatrist, counsellor or Registered Mental Nurse (RMN) following referrals and the first suicide attempt;
• A failure of communication within the healthcare department;
• A failure to assume professional responsibility for follow-up within the healthcare department;
• A failure in the continuity of care and personal handover (both Healthcare staff and custodial staff);
• A failure to seek out Kenny’s previous medial records;
• ‘Deficiencies in the system’ resulted in ‘missed opportunities’ (by the immigration service) to review Kenny’s detention;
• Failure in communications within Colnbrook (in general), after medical staff suspected ‘suicidal ideation’ yet failed to inform the centre manager;
• Failure in communications between Colnbrook staff and immigration staff on issues surrounding Kenny’s mental health;
• Failure of Colnbrook immigration staff to make further enquiries of Colnbrook healthcare staff after they knew that Kenny was under SHARF ['Self-harm at risk'] review;
• Failure in communications between Colnbrook immigration officers and Felixstowe immigration officers about Kenny being under SHARF review."