Manston: Migrants illegally held and humiliated, High Court told

A group of 96 migrants were unlawfully detained at a Kent processing centre and subjected to ill-treatment by staff and humiliation, their lawyer has told the High Court.

The claims have been brought against the Home Office, which is yet to formally file a defence.

Allegations included that migrants held at Manston between September and November 2022 did not have access to menstruation products, had severe bleeding in pregnancy and miscarriage and struggled to breastfeed.

It is understood legal proceedings have been paused until October, amid efforts to reach settlements. The Home Office has been approached for comment.

Agata Patyna, representing the migrants, said in written arguments the group included unaccompanied children, women who were pregnant at the time of detention, vulnerable people with mental health conditions and disabilities and victims of trafficking, sexual offences and torture.

She said cases involved alleged “breaches of fundamental rights, including the right to liberty and prohibition on inhuman and degrading treatment”.

All 96 people made protection claims in the UK, with 54 recognised as refugees or given humanitarian protection, she said.

The court was told the migrants should be given anonymity “to protect their legitimate interests, safety, privacy and welfare” and in relation to the “highly personal, distressing information” allegedly linked to their treatment.

Allegations were made over a child wearing soiled nappies.

They were also made over the humiliation of Muslim women by having to remove their hijabs in front of others and of a Muslim child having to eat non-Halal meat.

One child was left with an “ongoing fear of going to the toilet on their own, without an adult present, in consequence of the trauma suffered while detained”, the court heard.

On Friday, Judge John Dagnell concluded granting anonymity to the migrants was “necessary to secure proper administration of justice” and to protect their interests.

He said: “It does seem to me that I should also bear in mind that, particularly in the light of recent events, there are sections of the populace who may be adversely inclined to asylum seekers.”

Concerns were raised about overcrowding at Manston in 2022.

The former military base is used to process arrivals of people who have entered the UK after crossing the English Channel by boat.

In November 2022, 4,000 people were at the site, which had a capacity of 1,600.

Overcrowding with “unacceptable conditions” had also been flagged by inspectors a month earlier.

The Home Office previously said that improvements have since been made.