Taxpayers Forced to Pay for Detention of Illegal Invaders — and Their Toilets
British taxpayers are being forced to pay for the food and shelter of illegal invaders who should have been deported — and for the peculiar toilets and feet washing facilities which meet their religious requirements.
The shocking news was revealed after a freedom of information request was sent to the administrators of Canterbury Prison in Kent, which only holds foreign prisoners awaiting deportation and currently has 92 Muslim inmates.
According to the disclosures, at least £17,000 has been spent converting toilets to the ‘squat’ design favoured in the Middle East, and for providing two footbaths and a shower area at the prison.
The footbaths are often used by Muslims as they are required to wash their feet before prayer.
Chief executive of the Taxpayers’ Alliance, Matthew Elliott, was quoted in the media as saying that the expenditure “makes a mockery of the justice system.
“It’s ridiculous that we are spending so much money on prisoners who should have been deported, rather than kept here as a burden on innocent taxpayers.
“Making basic provision for people’s needs is one thing, but there is no reason at all why there should be special toilets installed,” Mr Elliot said.
“If prison doesn’t have the perfect toilet facilities for you, then you shouldn’t have committed a crime; it isn’t meant to be nice.”
Canterbury Prison is the first in the country to fulfil the unique role of holding only foreign national prisoners. The Prison Independent Monitoring Board’s annual report, published in July, showed inmates represent 66 different nationalities, speak 33 different languages and practice 17 different religions.
Other measures have been taken to accommodate the prison’s global population, including demolishing its former chapel and replacing it with a ‘multi-faith hall of worship’ to cater for the faiths of its foreign inmates.
Muslim prisoners are permitted one hour’s use every Friday for prayers. Islamic prayer timetables are provided, the Koran is available on request and an imam is employed — at the taxpayers’ expense — for 18 hours a week to carry out generic work and faith duties.
