LEGAL EAGLE: Compensation being paid to hundreds of former detainees of Medomsley Detention Centre

Physical abuse of detainees was a daily occurrence at Medomsley during the detention centres operation between the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s.

Former detainees have spoken of being punched, kicked and slapped amongst other forms of assault by officers who worked at the detention centre.

It was the bravery of former detainees speaking out about the abuse they suffered which culminated in five former officers of the detention centre being convicted of physical abuse offences in 2018.

All received prison sentences.

Since then the Medomsley Steering Group, which includes our firm, have been discussing with the Government Legal Department who deal with claims for the Ministry of Justice, how the Government Legal Department intended to respond to compensation claims submitted.

Discussions proved successful with the introduction of the Medomsley Detention Centre Physical Abuse Settlement Scheme agreed with the Ministry of Justice to provide compensation to survivors of physical abuse suffered by staff members at Medomsley Detention Centre.

Under the original scheme set up in February 2020 former detainees must have suffered physical abuse committed by a member of staff who was employed at Medomsley during the period they were detained and who had received a criminal conviction in respect of such offences. This was in addition to independent evidence of their period of detention.

However an extended settlement scheme has recently been agreed with the Ministry of Justice. Under the extended scheme there is no longer a requirement for a survivor to have suffered physical abuse committed by a member of staff who has received a criminal conviction.

This extension to the scheme has been welcomed by us as it has opened the gates for hundreds more former detainees to be rightly compensated for the physical abuse they suffered at Medomsley Detention Centre.

If you were abused at Medomsley Detention Centre and are interested in pursuing a claim please do not hesitate to contact specialist solicitors Andrew Freckleton or Richard Hardy on 0191 565 3112 or by email to [email protected] to discuss further.