Pools shut down at juvenile jails after second alleged sexual assault

Swimming pools across the crisis-ridden juvenile justice system have been closed indefinitely after yet another alleged sexual assault involving an 18-year-old and 16-year-old.

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Swimming pools across the crisis-ridden juvenile justice system have been closed indefinitely after yet another alleged sexual assault.

The extraordinary step followed an inquiry from The Sunday Telegraph into the incident, which is alleged to have occurred at Kariong’s Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre about 4pm on February 7.

Juvenile Justice NSW confirmed it was investigating the circumstances surrounding an incident between an 18-year-old and a 16-year-old.

A Juvenile Justice spokesman said the older detainee is alleged to have tried to assault the 16-year-old in the pool.

An alleged sexual assault occurred at the Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre in Kariong. Picture: Tim Hunter

The younger inmate pushed the offender away, only for the 18-year-old to later hit the victim in the genitalia, the spokesman said.

Two officers were supervising the pool but claimed they did not see the alleged behaviour.

“Juvenile Justice has provided NSW Police with CCTV of the incident to determine if charges will proceed,” the spokesman said.

“The 16-year-old chose not to provide a statement.

“Detainee use of the pool has been banned at all six Juvenile Justice centres.”

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The department is reviewing supervision arrangements for detainees in pools and rules surrounding their usage.

A juvenile justice source said the older detainee has been transferred to Cobham Juvenile Justice Centre.

The source said the pool closures had raised concerns among staff at centres in regional NSW, where temperatures were still reaching 40C.

Detainees at the Frank Baxter Juvenile Justice Centre, where the pool has been shut down following an alleged sexual assault. Picture: Tim Hunter

The incident is the second at centre in weeks, with six detainees involved in alleged assault of a fellow inmate at the pool last month.

Investigations are also taking place into the circumstances of a stand-off involving two detainees at Riverina Juvenile Justice Centre in Wagga Wagga, after the pair climbed the roof of a classroom before throwing steel and glass objects at cars and staff below for almost five hours.

Another juvenile justice source said the two boys were “notorious troublemakers”.

“Obviously, the appropriate risk assessment was not done,” the source said.

It is understood the detainees smashed a window with a fire extinguisher, which they also discharged before climbing on to the roof.