Led into cells, pinned down and allegedly punched and kicked in the face by prison anti-riot guards.
These are among the Don Dale-esque allegations of brutality against teen detainees at Victoria's Barwon maximum security adult prison that are being investigated by police and the Commissioner for Children and Young People.
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Brawl erupts at Barwon Prison
Up to 20 teen detainees were involved in a fight at the Victorian maximum security prison on Monday night. Courtesy Seven News Melbourne.
The allegations, which have been detailed in sworn affidavits lodged on Thursday in the Supreme Court by the detainees' lawyers, follow the injuring of a prison guard and a riot involving several teen detainees on Monday night.
On Tuesday, the government publicly detailed the riot and the alleged assault of the guard. But the allegations of the subsequent brutality against young inmates have been kept confidential until Friday, after Fairfax Media learned that police and children's commissioner Liana Buchanan have launched investigations.
![The Grevillea wing of the Barwon Prison has been repurposed.](/web/20170217032226im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/x/a/6/w/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guf6vh.png/1487299480725.jpg)
The allegations of brutality, while untested, are extremely serious and, combined with the misbehaviour of some young detainees at Barwon, plunge Victoria's youth justice system into further turmoil. They were referred to police by the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday.
For the Andrews government, the latest revelations raise fresh questions about its controversial decision in November to house around two dozen teen detainees at the hastily refitted Grevillea wing of Barwon Prison.
The use of Barwon has been justified by the government on the basis that it is the only safe place to house detainees, after riots destroyed much of the Parkville Youth Justice Centre.
Human rights lawyers acting for the teens, who have launched a fresh legal challenge against the use of Barwon, have said the brutality allegations highlight how the continued use of the adult jail is endangering young detainees' safety and basic rights.
![Unrest had been growing for some time at Parkville Youth Justice Centre before the riots in November.](/web/20170217032226im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/z/f/x/8/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guf6vh.png/1487299480725.jpg)
The alleged incidents of brutality occurred on Monday night, after a guard confronted two detainees who were scuffling. This appears to have increased tension in the facility.
Around half an hour later, several other inmates removed their shirts, covered their faces and confronted staff. Around 16 detainees headed to an exercise yard and later to the visitors' centre, where they smashed windows and removed water pipes. Police have been told by some of the detainees that capsicum spray was used indiscriminately as guards confronted the inmates and then withdrew.
![A van leaving Parkville Youth Justice Centre in November.](/web/20170217032226im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/p/2/b/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guf6vh.png/1487299480725.jpg)
Several hours later, the prison anti-riot squad, the Security and Emergency Services Group (SESG), confronted the teen detainees, handcuffed some of them and led the prisoners to their cells. There is no CCTV in the cells, so what happened in the following hour or so is likely to be fiercely contested.
The detainees and their advocates from the Human Rights Law Centre allege that the SESG guards ordered teens to lie on the cell floors or kneel against their cell walls. It is alleged that several detainees, while being straddled by SESG guards, were punched and kicked in the face and torso.
![Marngoneet Correctional Centre in the foreground with Barwon Prison behind.](/web/20170217032226im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/t/i/p/w/9/image.related.articleLeadwide.620x349.guf6vh.png/1487299480725.jpg)
In their statements, it is understood detainees claim to have been warned by the SESG members that "we run this joint".
Efforts to verify the allegations are being made by police and Ms Buchanan, who confirmed to Fairfax Media that she is liaising with police and has initiated her own "formal inquiry."
![The Grevillea wing, Barwon Prison.](/web/20170217032226im_/http://www.theage.com.au/content/dam/images/g/s/x/a/6/t/image.related.articleLeadNarrow.300x0.guf6vh.png/1487299480725.jpg)
Police and Ms Buchanan's staff visited Barwon Prison on Thursday to speak to detainees and it is understood that injuries sustained by a least one detainee will be examined to see if it corroborates the claims of brutality.
The Andrews government has faced a rolling youth justice crisis sparked by wild and destructive riots at Parkville juvenile jail in November and a spike in serious offending by several hundred repeat teen offenders.
Since November, there have been further riots in youth justice jails, a break-out from the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre, and legal challenges by human rights lawyers against the decision to use Barwon Prison to temporarily hold young inmates.
The government has faced criticism about why it did not move earlier to address systemic failings pervading the ailing Parkville facility, including staff dysfunction that has led to an over-reliance of "lock-downs", in which teens are kept in their cells for long stints and denied access to education and rehabilitation programs.
The HRLC's Alina Leiken said she was disturbed that the reports suggest a deliberate and systematic use of violence and threats against teen detainees.
"There must be a full, independent investigation into this incident and the Victorian government needs to wake up and realise that locking up children in the state's most notorious adult jail is only going to make matters worse. Premier Andrews has clearly failed to heed the lessons of Don Dale," said Ms Leiken.
Last month, the Victorian government announced it would house the 15-to-18 year-old male prisoners at a purpose-built high-security facility in Werribee South and shift management of youth jails to corrections Victoria.
A spokesman from the department of justice said the brutality allegations had been referred to the Victoria Police and the department would fully co-operate with any investigation.