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NT government countersuing boys allegedly abused in juvenile detention NT government taking legal action against boys allegedly abused in juvenile detention
(35 minutes later)
The Northern Territory government is countersuing two boys who were allegedly abused at the Don Dale detention centre. The Northern Territory government is taking legal action against two boys who were allegedly abused at the Don Dale detention centre.
The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, announced a royal commission into Northern Territory juvenile detention on Thursday, after ABC’s Four Corner’s program revealed footage of a boy hooded and restrained in detention. The prime minister, Malcolm Turnbull, announced a royal commission into Northern Territory juvenile detention on Thursday, after ABC’s Four Corners program revealed footage of a boy hooded and restrained in detention.
There were six children tear-gassed at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in Darwin in 2014, the program revealed, with footage prompting condemnation from political leaders and the community.There were six children tear-gassed at the Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in Darwin in 2014, the program revealed, with footage prompting condemnation from political leaders and the community.
The NT government is taking steps to countersue two of the boys who were teargassed, the ABC reports. The NT government is taking legal action against two of the boys who were teargassed but the government has dismissed reports it is a countersuit.
However, the counter-case is not to do with the tear-gassing incident but with alleged damage caused during an escape attempt. The ABC is reporting that the NT Government will be seeking $160,000 in damages from two of the boys, for damage caused to the facility during the escape attempt. A spokesman for the department of corrections told Guardian Australia the government lodged the claim for damages to court on 4 July, prior to the tear-gassing claim from lawyers acting on behalf of the boys.
The spokesman said the bulk of the damages related to a gate that was damaged during the escape attempt.
“This is not a counter-move,” he told Guardian Australia.
The ABC is reporting that the NT Government will be seeking $160,000 in damages from the two boys .
A spokesman from the Northern Territory’s attorney general’s department told Guardian Australia the department would not be commenting.A spokesman from the Northern Territory’s attorney general’s department told Guardian Australia the department would not be commenting.
“We’re not making any comment on something that is before a royal commission,” he said.“We’re not making any comment on something that is before a royal commission,” he said.
Related: Profile: NT inquiry head Brian Martin is no stranger to the toughest casesRelated: Profile: NT inquiry head Brian Martin is no stranger to the toughest cases
More to come ...