Arabic version: محتجزون سابقون يزعمون وقوع انتهاكات في مركز احتجاز أحداث في كانبيرا
According to The Guardian, at least 13 former detainees in the ACT youth justice system between 2003 and 2013 allege they were sexually abused by former guard Brett Dennis, known as “Chicken”. Dennis worked at Quamby youth detention centre and later at Bimberi youth justice centre. He died by suicide in 2017.
Four men described similar alleged experiences to Guardian Australia, including allegations involving an old chicken shed at Quamby, outside the view of security cameras. James*, who was first incarcerated at Quamby at 14, alleged Dennis sexually assaulted him there. Michael*, who said he was held at Quamby for about 14 hours when he was 16, also alleged he was sexually abused and raped.
Quamby, built in 1962, held children as young as 10 and closed in 2008 after the ACT shut it due to human rights concerns. Court documents say Dennis held short-term contracts as a youth justice officer before becoming a permanent employee in August 2006, continuing in the system until about 2015.
Twenty-two plaintiffs have filed civil proceedings alleging historical sexual abuse by staff and fellow detainees at Quamby or Bimberi, naming the ACT government as a defendant. The government is also responding to 31 pre-court personal injury claims connected to historical child sexual abuse allegations. In one 2025 Supreme Court filing, David* alleged Dennis sexually abused him on several occasions, supplied and encouraged him to use methamphetamines, and raped him five times.
The ACT government said it was not aware of child-abuse allegations against Dennis before his death. It admitted a duty of care in court responses but denied failing to take reasonable precautions, saying mandatory reporting obligations and an official visitors program existed at the time. The government said it recognises the impact of revisiting historical allegations and funds trauma-informed counselling, mental health and victim-support services for eligible people.
Lawyer Kirsten Nasser said her firm represents 30 clients alleging mistreatment or abuse in ACT youth detention. She alleged the territory government had withheld important personal records, delaying civil proceedings, while the government’s legal responses remain before the courts.
