Asylum seekers housed 'unlawfully' at air base

A High Court justice has recovered erstwhile Home Secretary Suella Braverman acted unlawfully successful accommodating 3 asylum seekers astatine a erstwhile RAF base.

The men - who were astatine MDP Wethersfield successful Essex betwixt July 2023 and February 2024 - argued they were surviving successful "prison-like" conditions.

Mr Justice Timothy Mould was told the asylum centre was "seriously inadequate", with residents queuing for nutrient and experiencing outbreaks of scabies.

Lawyers for the individuals said they were susceptible owed to their inheritance and suffered a superior diminution successful their intelligence wellness portion astatine Wethersfield.

Mr Justice Mould recovered that Braverman was successful breach of her duties nether the Immigration and Asylum Act 1999.

The then-Conservative authorities announced plans to location migrants astatine Wethersfield adjacent Braintree, arsenic good arsenic RAF Scampton successful Lincolnshire, successful March 2023.

Migrants were moved into Wethersfield successful July 2023.

There were archetypal plans to accommodate 1,700 people, but capableness was aboriginal capped astatine 580.

A assertion made by a 4th asylum seeker, who was besides an ex-resident astatine MDP Wethersfield, was dismissed by the judge.

In his judgement, Mr Justice Mould said the then-home caput was "required" to enactment lawfully successful each lawsuit and supply capable accommodation to "destitute" asylum seekers.

Lawyers acting for the claimants said they were each victims of trafficking, torture and/or superior carnal unit who "each suffered a superior diminution successful their intelligence health".

In a connection to media, they said: "The High Court held that the location caput had made 'a astir superior and inexplicable omission' successful failing to measure the equalities interaction erstwhile amending its asylum accommodation policy, the effect of which was that susceptible asylum seekers with peculiar needs oregon disabilities whitethorn beryllium judged suitable to beryllium accommodated astatine Wethersfield."