A Dirty Job, Maybe, But Someone’s Gotta Do It!

A pregnant woman in a wheelchair was tipped up and had her feet held by G4S staff as she was forcibly removed from the country.

The employees from the firm behind the Olympics security fiasco used substantial force and the 'risk of injury to the unborn child was significant', revealed a report.

Well, what’s the alternative? Not deport anyone who is pregnant and kicks up a fuss?

You know just who would love that, don’t you? And here they all are:

Judith Dennis, of the Refugee Council, said the case was 'shocking' and called for the UK Border Agency (UKBA) to heed the report’s recommendations, which include that force should only ever be used against pregnant women and children 'in order to prevent harm'.

That, however, is just what they claim they were doing:

The pregnant woman had been given a wheelchair to assist her in the departures area, said the inspectors. When she resisted, 'substantial force' was used by G4S staff and the wheelchair 'was tipped up with staff holding her feet'.

'At one point she slipped down from the chair and the risk of injury to the unborn child was significant,' the report said.

'There is no safe way to use force against a pregnant woman, and to initiate it for the purpose of removal is to take an unacceptable risk.'

I don’t think it’s ‘unacceptable’ – she’s the one putting her baby at risk by resisting, after all. She wasn't the only one, either:

The pregnant woman’s husband had been disruptive the night before his family’s planned removal from Cedars, 'shouting and kicking doors, causing some damage', the report found.

'At one point it was judged that he had been trying to separate healthcare staff offering to examine his wife to take them hostage,' the report added.

I rather doubt the Refugee Council concerns itself with the risks to anyone else, though.

'Staff were sufficiently concerned by his behaviour to take him to the "cool down" separation room in full personal protection equipment before his removal.'

The so-called 'cool down' room was 'stark and not conducive to helping people calm down', the inspectors added.

What should it have had? Candles? Mood lighting? A cozy sofabed?