Opinion: Genevieve Adetoro - a victim of Double Punishment

Genevive is presently detained in Yarl's Wood Immigration Removal Centre, she has been there since the 10th July 2008. She is paralyzed on her left side and in a wheel chair. She has CVA, Angina, Hypertension, Sickle Cell Anaemia, Osteo Arthritis and Depression.

She takes 15 medications a day. She is dependent on others for help with her personal care, such as bathing, feeding and dressing. Genevieve has no assigned carer and has to rely on the goodwill of other detainees for support. There are times when she is left in her diaper unable to change it herself. Sometimes she has missed meals because there was nobody to support her. Sometimes, detainees have been woken up at 3.00am to assist her.

More importantly, her medications have sometimes been administered very late; as late as 2.00am on one occasion. Once she was left in the lift for one hour on her own. She has fallen down a few times. Once when she called for help when she fell from from her bed only an officer turned up and said Health Care was too busy "I'm all you've got we are short staffed" she said and proceeded to lift Genevieve all by herself on to the bed.

After another fall she was taken to hospital. When she was discharged at about 1:00am the Doctor asked if they have transportation to take her back and they said yes, however they brought a mini-bus usually used to transport visitors to the centre. Genevive alleges three officers proceeded to bodily lift her into the bus; one holding on to the right leg and the other the left foot while the third put his hand around her armpit covering her bust and threw her into the van at the count of three. There was no seat belt so she had to lie on the lap of one of the officers for the one hour journey back to the centre. It was the same procedure used to take her off the bus on arrival at the centre. The resulting pain to her left shoulder and her back can only be imagined. Apparently they could not get hold of an ambulance.

When she has visits, she has sometimes had to wait over an hour for someone to take her back to her room sitting in a puddle of urine. She has developed bed sores and rashes. When she has complained about the demeaning treatment, some officers have responded by saying "My mother is on some of those medications as well" and "what is so special about you?" This has been mentally very frustrating. Genevive has expressed the wish that she were dead. Several Doctors have maintained that detention is not the place for this lady.

Genevive has not seen her children since her incarceration and her husband is worried about the emotional effect it will have on them seeing her in such a poor state.

Regarding her medical equipment a Judge refused her bail on grounds that the house needs to be adequately fitted before she is allowed home. Social Services went to inspect the home but have said they could not do anything because of her legal status. UKBA say she is likely to abscond which seems quite absurd as she is physically very disabled and can hardly move out of bed without support let alone abscond.

Genevive has lived in Luton with her family since 1996. She had to take on a job when her husband was diagnosed with Vertigo and a heart condition in 2004 and was unable to work. She was arrested in 2006 while at work. She was sentenced in 2007 and had stroke while in prison.

She has more than paid for what ever crime she committed and seemingly may probably pay the rest of her life as she is unlikely to regain the use of her limbs.

She at least deserves the support of her family in her present state. Even if she is going to die she could at least be given the opportunity to die with her loved ones around her.

Please help stop this cruelty to a helpless lady by writing to Jackie Smith (Home Office Secretary) and Kelvin Hopkins (MP Luton North) in support of her release from the detention centre.

All other support correspondence to be sent to Free Genevive, 38 The Avenue, Luton, LU4 9AG.