Female mental health patient allegedly sexually assaulted by prisoner at Royal Darwin Hospital

POLICE are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a female patient by a male Corrections prisoner while she was taking a shower in the mental health unit of Royal Darwin Hospital

An alleged sexual assault at Royal Darwin Hospital is under investigation.

POLICE are investigating the alleged sexual assault of a 21-year-old female patient by a male Corrections prisoner while she was taking a shower in the Joan Ridley mental health unit of the Royal Darwin Hospital.

The girl’s father has spoken exclusively with the NT News about the incident and says he was not informed until 72 hours after the alleged assault took place.

He is also demanding answers as to how the male prisoner was allowed to be near his daughter in the secure facility.

“It is absolutely beyond belief what has happened,” the father said.

“I’m shocked, I’m horrified, I’m angry at what has happened to my daughter and the way the Government and the responsible departments have handled my daughter’s safety and well being.

“I contacted the Health Minister’s office and I have had no response.

“It is like the couldn’t give a stuff about what has happened to our daughter.”

He said his daughter had been taken to the hospital’s secure mental health facility, Joan Ridley Unit, late Tuesday afternoon and within an hour of being there the alleged sexual assault took place.

He said it wasn’t until late Friday that he and his wife were contacted by a RDH doctor and told of the alleged incident.

“We had full trust and faith that our daughter would be safe,” he said.

“How did a male prisoner get close to my daughter in a secure mental unit? Who was watching over the male prisoner and why wasn’t he under guard.”

The NT News put these and other questions to the Health Minister Natasha Fyles and her Department of Corrections.

The only response the Department would give was: “Police are investigating the matter and Correctional Services does not comment on police investigations.”

A spokesman for the Health Minister also declined to answer the same questions.

“An incident is alleged to have occurred and NT Police are investigating the matter,” he said.

The father said he has not been told why it took so long to be informed about the alleged sexual attack on his daughter.

He said on a previous occasion his daughter was admitted to the Joan Ridley Unit she was physically assaulted by another male prisoner being housed in the unit.

“Why haven’t Corrections prisoners got their own facilities and kept away from people, who aren’t there because of their criminal actions,” the father said.

“It took the male prisoner three minutes to do what he did because he wasn’t being properly supervised.

“Our daughter’s safety was put at risk because of the way prisoners are managed.

“We want answers and we are not getting them.”