Guards bash prisoner

Written Monday, November 28, 2005

Guards bash prisoner

By Rob Inder-Smith


A group of prison officers bashed a young prisoner at Berrimah Jail earlier this week.

The prisoner, Kyle Hansen-Detorbay, is in his 20s. No reason or explanation for the assault was given by the person who bravely leaked news of the incident soon after it occurred about 11am on Monday.

“I didn’t see the assault, but I saw the gash on the back of Kyle’s head as the guards were leading him away afterwards,” said the source, also a prisoner.

“There were witnesses to the attack and others who heard a loud ‘crack’, which presumably was the blow to the back of his head.

“Still other prisoners saw welts on his face and his head rolled back. Three or four guards were involved. I think one’s name was Groth, something like that.

“We all reckon they should be charged with assault.

“It’s very tense here now, anything could happen . . . it could go off.

“We thought the phones would be cut off and that there would be a lock-down (when prisoners are confined to their cells).

“It doesn’t look like Kyle’s had medical attention. The poor guy had just come out of hospital where he’d been for a week having titanium plates put in his jaw.

“He was eating soft food, special food.”

The man described Hansen-Detorbay as one of his best friends, a “nice guy”, “a fair-skinned aboriginal”.

“Nobody knows why he was assaulted,” he said.

“They took him to the office, but it’s coated in reflective paint and it’s hard to see inside. You can’t see through the glass unless you go right up close and peer through the cracks. The officers seemed to be barricaded inside.

“Kyle’s now in the punishment cell, kicking the doors. They’re horrible, I’ve been there, they’re like dungeons . . . they’re (NT Chief Minister) Clare Martin’s dungeons.”

Hansen-Detorbay was serving 11 months for assault, which he allegedly committed while going to the aid of his brother, who was being set upon in a fight.

“He told me he’d do anything for his brother,” the man said.

“Most of the guys here are in their 20s.”

The NAPNT web team apologise for the delay in publishing this important story.