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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Benita Kolovos and Bertin Huynh

Boy, 16, held in ‘cramped’ prison cell alone for 22 hours a day for weeks, Victorian ombudsman finds

Prison Victoria Human Rights Mindy Sotiri Labor
A small, worn and dirty prison cell with a basic bed, a kettle, a very basic open shower and prison bars
A cell at Melbourne Assessment Prison, where the boy was held. Photograph: Victorian ombudsman

A 16-year-old boy was held in conditions akin to solitary confinement in adult prison for 22 hours a day, leading him to have suicidal thoughts, a Victorian ombudsman report has revealed.

The report, tabled in parliament on Thursday, found the Department of Justice and Community Safety breached the teenager’s human rights when transferring him from the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct to the maximum-security Melbourne Assessment Prison in early 2025.

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