Brian Altman KC Lead Counsel to the Brook House Inquiry

Brian Altman KC was Lead Counsel to the Brook House Inquiry which was established by the Home Secretary in November 2019. It investigated the mistreatment of detained people at Brook House Immigration Removal Centre near Gatwick between 1 April and 31 August 2017. A BBC Panorama documentary which exposed the mistreatment led to the setting up of the Inquiry.

The Inquiry’s hearings took place over 46 days divided into two phases between 23 November 2021 and 6 April 2022 with oral evidence from 73 witnesses.

The inquiry published its three-volume report on 19 September 2023 (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/brook-house-inquiry). The Inquiry found there was a toxic culture at Brook House and it calls for significant reforms to immigration detention. In particular, the Inquiry found 19 incidents where there was credible evidence of acts or omissions capable of amounting to mistreatment contrary to Article 3 ECHR. The Inquiry has made 33 important recommendations.