- Claims he was sexually abused on two separate occasions
- Attributes the alleged attacks to the decline of his footy career
- Juvenile detention centre accused of failing in its duty of care
A former NRL star has initiated a million-dollar lawsuit against the state of New South Wales, alleging he was raped by a female prison officer during his time in juvenile detention.
The player, who cannot be named due to the nature of the allegations, claims the abuse occurred when he was 16, leaving him with lasting psychological trauma.
The star was detained at the Acmena Juvenile Justice Centre multiple times between February 2001 and January 2002.
According to a statement of claim filed in the NSW Supreme Court and obtained by Daily Mail Australia, the man alleges he was abused twice by a prison officer referred to as ‘Jane’.
The first incident allegedly took place in the juvenile centre’s kitchen, where Jane cornered him, forcing his hands down her pants and under her shirt.
It’s alleged the second incident occurred in the centre’s games room, where Jane reportedly pulled down the player’s pants and performed a sex act on him.
The former player, who was once considered a promising NRL talent with a big career in front of him, believes the trauma contributed significantly to the decline of his career.
‘He will carry these [mental] wounds for the remainder of his life, and we allege the abuse is partially to blame for ending what was a promising career,’ his lawyer Claire Egan said.
Shine Lawyers have taken on his case, lodging the statement of claim on June 17.
The former NRL player says the alleged abuse impacted the decline of his footy career (stock image)
The lawsuit seeks damages for personal injury resulting from the alleged abuse, including exemplary damages, interest, and legal costs.
If the case proceeds to hearing and the player wins, the total amount, including legal costs, could exceed $1million.
In the statement of claim, the former player claims the state was negligent in its duty to provide a safe environment for children in juvenile detention.
He alleges that those running the centre failed to take necessary precautions to prevent physical and sexual abuse of vulnerable children.
His statement asserts that proper supervision of prison officers and ensuring they were never alone with children could have prevented the abuse.
Further, he claims the centre did not educate detainees about reporting abuse, leaving them feeling unable to speak up against staff wrongdoing.
The player alleges he was sexually abused twice by a female prison guard while he was a teen (stock image)
The player’s legal documents allege that the centre failed to implement safeguards that would have allowed children to report sexual advances and abuse.
It is also claimed that those running the juvenile centre should have been aware of the risk of physical and sexual abuse of vulnerable children under their care.
The player claims that necessary precautions were not taken to prevent such abuse.
These precautions included supervising prison officers and ensuring they were never alone with children.
The ex-player further alleges that children in the centre felt unable to speak up about sexual abuse by staff.
The court documents claim that the centre took no steps to educate child detainees about their rights or how to report abuse.
The state has not yet submitted a defence to the court or indicated whether it will contest the case.
The case is scheduled for a court appearance on August 5.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk