Police investigating allegations of unnecessary use of force at a G4S-run young offender institution have arrested four people on suspicion of child neglect.

The inquiry was launched in the wake of undercover filming by the BBC’s Panorama programme showing staff at Medway Secure Training Centre punching and slapping children.

Four members of staff were dismissed after the programme was broadcast on Monday and a further four have been suspended pending further investigations. Those dismissed and suspended include team leaders and operation duty managers.

A Kent police statement on Wednesday said: “Officers investigating reports of abusive behaviour alleged to have taken place at a secure training facility in Medway have arrested three men on suspicion of child neglect.



“The Kent police investigation was launched following a referral from the Medway local authority designated officer. The men are currently in custody and will be interviewed later today.” The local authority designated officer is responsible for child protection in Medway.

It is understood that the three arrested men were among the four team leaders at Medway who were sacked on Tuesday. The allegations relate to 10 boys aged 14 to 17.

Paul Cook, G4S’s director of children’s services, said G4S fully supported the police decision to make arrests: “We continue to provide police officers and the local authority with full access to Medway Secure Training Centre and the centre’s records including CCTV footage.

“There is no place in our business for the conduct shown on the BBC’s Panorama programme on Monday night. This morning’s arrests send a strong message that any allegations of wrongdoing will be thoroughly investigated and we are grateful to the police for their swift action in this case.

“We will work with the police and local authority to keep our own actions under review in light of today’s developments. We will keep families and other professionals working with young people informed of developments as we are asked to do so. We are committed to a complete review of how this occurred and how we can ensure it doesn’t happen again.”

The allegations, understood to date from incidents last autumn, include:

• That staff punched a youngster in the ribs and that another was slapped several times on the head.

• Claims that staff have pressed heavily on the necks of young people and unnecessarily used restraint techniques, including squeezing a teenager’s windpipe so that he had difficulty breathing.

• That staff used foul language to frighten and intimidate youngsters and boasted of mistreating young people, including using a fork to stab one in the leg.

• Claims workers tried to conceal their behaviour by ensuring they were beneath the line of sight of CCTV cameras or in areas not covered by them.