PRIVATE security guards spent just three minutes and six seconds reviewing a detainee’s mental health before taking him off suicide watch.

The man went on to hang himself two days later, an inquest jury has heard.

Marcin Gwozdzinski, from Poland, was detained at Harmondsworth Immigration Removal Centre near Heathrow.

The 28-year-old became increasingly distressed after spending nine months awaiting deportation and tried to take his own life on September 3 2017. He later sucumbed to his injuries in hospital.

West London coroner’s court is now probing events leading up to his death, in which he was supervised by staff from the outsourcing company Mitie.

Mr Gwozdzinski was placed on suicide watch after he told a Mitie guard: “I want to die.”

However, the decision to stop hourly observations was taken at a controversial meeting just two days before he took his life.

CCTV evidence showed that Mitie safety officer Stephen Burt only spent three minutes and six seconds reviewing the risks facing Mr Gwozdzinski.

Mr Burt was later removed from risk assessing detainees following an internal probe.

He told the inquest he disagreed with that decision and maintained Mr Gwozdzinski only complained about a toothache.

The head of mental health care at the centre told the inquest they were “quite short-staffed at the time.”

The inquest continues.

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