❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the sexual assault of a child in state care by a high-risk youth, questioning how this was allowed to happen again and requesting a secure facility for high-risk children. The Premier acknowledges the tragedy, promising investigation but makes no immediate commitment.
AnsweredQoN 480Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CHILDREN IN CARE — SEXUAL ASSAULT
I refer to the alleged sexual abuse of an eight-year-old boy in state care by a high-risk offending youth — (1) It has been nearly a year to the day since the sexual assault of a disabled girl in state care; how has this been allowed to happen again, to this eight-year-old boy? (2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT
I refer to the alleged sexual abuse of an eight-year-old boy in state care by a high-risk offending youth — (1) It has been nearly a year to the day since the sexual assault of a disabled girl in state care; how has this been allowed to happen again, to this eight-year-old boy? (2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(1) It has been nearly a year to the day since the sexual assault of a disabled girl in state care; how has this been allowed to happen again, to this eight-year-old boy? (2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(1) It has been nearly a year to the day since the sexual assault of a disabled girl in state care; how has this been allowed to happen again, to this eight-year-old boy? (2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(2) Will the Premier immediately commit to building a specialist secure facility for high-risk children whose behaviour constitutes a high risk to the community? (3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(3) Which agency will the Premier assign core responsibility to for incidents of this nature? Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
Mr C.J. BARNETT replied: I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
I thank the member for the question. (1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
(1)–(3) This is an incredibly distressing situation. My knowledge is not detailed, but to the best of my understanding, the offender is a young person with very serious mental difficulties, to put it bluntly, and disabled in that sense. He is a serial offender under constant supervision, but unfortunately a lapse occurred, I believe, and tragically he got out and assaulted a young boy. It is an all-round tragedy in every sense. The minister responsible, Hon Robyn McSweeney, has indicated that she will personally investigate this matter and see what can be learned from it. I accept the premise of the member’s question and although I make no commitment, I think that there needs to be a secure facility for young people who, for whatever reason, presumably due to their mental incapacity, continually re-offend. This is a serious issue and a very tragic one. A small number of people in our community, including young people, cannot control themselves and will continue to offend. Perhaps we need a secure facility for those younger people.
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