Former Ashley Detainee Says He Was Bribed To Say “Nice Things” About The Centre

WARNING: Readers may find the details of this story distressing.

A former Ashley Youth Detention Centre resident has said he was bribed into saying “nice things” about the facility to the commission of inquiry.

Max* said to the inquiry today he was offered various privileges if  “we said nice things about Ashley” including games, going off-site and moving units.

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Max was housed in the Franklin unit which was generally used to house older inmates or some of the worst-behaved inmates at the centre.

He said while there he suffered physical and sexual assault when he was 12-years-old.

William said he was “happy as” when he found out about the commission of inquiry and the facility would be shut down.

“I thought it was an opportunity to tell my story,” he said.

“Then Stuart Watson, the manager, he found out what was going down and he came down and talked to me and he asked me why I’m doing it. I said, ‘like I’m telling exactly what happens here, like how s*** it is’.”

Max said Watson told him to say nice things about the staff “did good things for us and that there was no need to tell the commission “that bullshit”.

Max then went on to proceed telling the commission the “100 per cent truth” and retold of events which occurred when he was 13 years old. 

He said he was returned to a unit with a boy who tried to sexually assault him despite being told he would be housed with a detainee he didn’t know.

Trying to escape, Max said he attempted to attack a staff member and started screaming the other boy had tried to assault him.

“It was only a matter of time before it happened again, that’s the way I saw it."

Max said he would be bashed regularly by Ashley staff where there were no cameras. 

He said cameras need to be put everywhere for the new centres anticipated for the north and south. 

“If there’s no cameras in some spots … I can say 100 per cent that new staff are gonna be like the old staff,” he said.

“If a complaint gets made, there’s all the evidence right there.”

The Ashley hearings at the commission continue until Friday. 

If you or someone you know needs help, there are services available:

Lifeline: 13 11 14
Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636
RESPECT: 1800 737 732
Sexual Assault Counselling Australia: 1800 211 028

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