Teens plead guilty to setting rival’s cell on fire during Don Dale riot

TWO Don Dale detainees who set fire to another boy’s cell while he was still inside last year have faced court on multiple charges

Two Don Dale detainees who set fire to another boy’s cell while he was still inside during a $10,000 rampage last year have faced court on a string of charges

TWO Don Dale detainees who set fire to another boy’s cell while he was still inside during a $10,000 rampage last year have faced court on a string of charges.

The 16-year-olds, whose names are suppressed, pleaded guilty in the Supreme Court on Wednesday to arson, property damage and making a threat to kill over the July 6 riot.

Crown prosecutor Jane Bochmann told the court the incident started when the pair and two co-accused refused to shower and prepare for lockdown at about 5pm.

After the youth justice officers on duty “retreated to their office area and locked themselves inside” one of the co-accused broke out of the room and started removing metal legs from tables.

At this point the guards retreated further to the facility’s sally port where one of the boys sprayed a dry powder fire extinguisher through the door causing one of them to vomit.

The boys then broke into a storage area and armed themselves with batons, riot shields and paint thinners and went to a cellblock housing a rival teen.

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There the offenders poured the accelerant on the cell window and outside wall and lit it, yelling “we’re going to break into your room mother f***er, slash your throat”.

“As the fire was burning the offenders said ‘Die mother f***er, die,’ and ‘You’re going to die in there’,” Ms Bochmann said.

“(The victim) was unable to leave, could see flames at the window and found it difficult to breath properly.”

Ms Bochmann said police negotiators attended the disturbance and were able to communicate with the boys via a stolen security radio.

“Some of the requests being made by the offenders and co-offenders included requests for cigarettes, lighters, McDonalds and the key to the K block (where the victim was housed),” she said.

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Ms Bochmann said the unrest lasted for three hours and caused about $10,000 damage before the four were arrested.

The two co-offenders earlier pleaded guilty to lesser offences in the Local Court and were sentenced to two and four months’ jail.

The two other boys will return to the Supreme Court for further sentencing submissions on May 13.