FOOTAGE of Dylan Voller being tear-gassed, spit-hooded and shackled to a restraint chair in the Northern Territory’s youth prison system shocked the world earlier this year and triggered a royal commission into juvenile justice.
But it wasn’t until yesterday the public first heard from Mr Voller, now 19, as he gave evidence at the commission.
His calm demeanour, articulate delivery and slick look stunned many onlookers who were more familiar with reports of his bad antics in youth detention and criminal history.
But by the end of his testimony, those in the courtroom got up from their chairs, and gave Mr Voller a standing ovation.
Mr Voller had painted a tragic picture of a kid who had been institutionalised and abused from the age of 10. Footage taken from the so-called “riot” at Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in August 2014 was played at the commission and showed corrections officers tear-gassing six kids — most of whom, including Mr Voller, were in their cells — wrestling them to the ground and calling them “little f****rs”.
Mr Voller told the court detainees were regularly denied access to food, water and toilets as punishment for bad behaviour.
Reading a handwritten statement to the commission, Mr Voller said:
“One of the biggest problems we face is that we’re further punished in prison ...”
“Young people need love and someone to talk to not be locked in a cell with nothing for days on end trust me.”
The old Don Dale Youth Detention Centre was closed after it was deemed no longer fit for purpose, in Berrimah, Northern Territory.Footage taken at Don Dale Youth Detention Centre in August 2014 shows corrections officers tear-gassing six kids — most of whom were in their cells — wrestling them to the ground and calling them ‘little f****rs’.
He also spoke about the racism he witnessed.
“On a number of occasions I have witnessed officers abusing and yelling at Aboriginal men in here and putting them down because they can’t speak English properly, and that’s not fair and needs to stop,” Mr Voller said.
“As a victim and a young man I feel upset and let down by the system that these bad things were allowed to go on for so long. I really want to see these things change so it never happens to anyone else again and I belive (sic) this Royal Commission will make sure of that.
“I would like to thank the commissioners for visiting the old Don Dale centre and getting a real feel for how we were kept back then. I would like to thank everyone all around the world for your kind words of support.”