Inquest Hears of Care Failings Before Death at Immigration Detention Centre
Staff at an immigration detention centre failed to raise concerns about the health of a vulnerable epileptic man before he died in custody, an inquest has heard. French national Théophile Kaliviotis, 26, died on 27 October 2024 at Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick Airport in West Sussex.
Missed Medication and Drug Access
Horsham Coroner’s Court heard on Tuesday that Mr Kaliviotis had a seizure and had missed taking his epilepsy medication on four occasions before his death. The court also heard he had access to the drug spice prior to his passing.
Kirsten Heaven, solicitor for the family, told coroner Joseph Turner at a pre-inquest hearing that Mr Kaliviotis was "vulnerable and mentally unwell" and "arguably he is made more vulnerable and unwell because of his detention."
Alleged Breaches of Detention Policies
Ms Heaven stated that staff at Brook House, which is run by Serco for the Home Office, had "clearly" not complied with Rule 35 of the government’s detention centre guidance. This rule requires healthcare staff to escalate concerns to management if an individual’s health is being badly affected by their detention.
She added that it was "arguable that the adults at risk policy hasn’t been complied with at any point." This policy balances the government’s need to detain people for removal with their vulnerabilities, such as physical or mental disability.
Concerns Over Medical Care and Environment
Ms Heaven argued that Mr Kaliviotis wasn’t able to access the same medical care in detention that he could have had in the community, stating: "He is vulnerable, unwell, potentially has capacity issues, and there are illegal drugs floating around."
Inquest Scope and Government Response
Mr Turner said the inquest would have to consider "what happened to him while in detention... including the medical care that he was or was not given." He noted that Mr Kaliviotis "had a seizure and he died" but said the cause of the seizure remains unknown.
Mr Benjamin Seifert, representing the government, contended that "the fact of Mr Kaliviotis’s detention couldn’t reasonably be argued to have contributed to his death."
The full inquest into Mr Kaliviotis’s death is scheduled for October 2026.
