Yarl’s Wood is a Serco run immigration removal centre in Milton
Ernest, built in an industrial park more than an hour from central London.
Allegations have been made against Serco staff, including of sexual assaults by
guards against detainees, yet the British government continues to use the
facility.
During a visit inside the centre, I briefly experienced the
prison-like conditions suffered by immigrants on a daily basis. After
submitting myself to a biometric reading of my index finger – a Serco brochure
in reception helpfully informed me that the information could be kept
indefinitely because the Data Protection Act is so vaguely worded – I met a
young couple from Sri Lanka who were confused and anxious.
The woman was pregnant, and told me Serco staff often didn’t believe
her when she said she needed to visit a local hospital for care. She was
depressed and worried about her baby. She regularly missed meals and begged me
to help them get out. Thankfully, they were released shortly after my visit, to
an undisclosed location.