PRIVATE prison operator G4S suspended seven members of staff at a facility for young offenders yesterday amid allegations of abuse and mistreatment.

Staff reportedly punched and slapped some teenagers held at Medway Secure Training Centre in Rochester, Kent, a 76-bed facility for 12- to 18-year-olds, and allegedly boasted about using inappropriate techniques to restrain youngsters.

G4S, which has run the facility in co-operation with the Youth Justice Board since it opened in 1998, announced the suspensions after being told that BBC Panorama undercover reporters had been secretly filming the centre for an exposé yet to be aired.

“These allegations are extremely concerning, not least because only eight months ago G4S was subject to a damning report from Ofsted into another of its child jails, Rainsbrook,” said Howard League for Penal Reform director Andrew Neilson.

“The company has since lost the contract to run Rainsbrook but the contract to run Medway was renewed.

“Over 200 children are under the supposed care of G4S in these detention centres.”

G4S said it had referred the “serious allegations of inappropriate staff conduct” to Medway Council’s designated officer, the board and the Ministry of Justice.

Mr Neilson expressed hope that the forthcoming Ministry of Justice review of youth justice would take a hard look at what companies like G4S are doing to children in trouble with the law.

“I’m extremely shocked and appalled at the allegations that were presented to us, which clearly have no place in our business or any institution responsible for looking after young people,” said G4S children’s services managing director Paul Cook.

“We received the allegations from Panorama to our press team on December 30, and all I have are written allegations at this time.”

Kent Police are also understood to have been alerted to the claims of “unnecessary use of force and the use of improper language” at the centre.

The force confirmed it was investigating allegations following a referral from Medway Council that had been made regarding reports of both physical and verbal abusive behaviour at the facility.