Boy, 16, held in ‘cramped’ prison cell alone for 22 hours a day for weeks, Victorian ombudsman finds

Ombudsman finds government breached teen’s human rights, saying the conditions ‘bordered on solitary confinement’ Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A 16-year-old boy was held in conditions akin to solitary confinement in adult prison for 22 hours a day, leading him to have suicidal thoughts, a Victorian ombudsman report has revealed.

The report, tabled in parliament on Thursday , found the Department of Justice and Community Safety breached the teen’s human rights when transferring him from the Parkville Youth Justice Precinct to the maximum-security Melbourne Assessment Prison in early 2025.

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