THREE teenagers have been remanded to adult prison after assaulting two staff members with a cricket bat at the Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre.
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Two 18-year-olds and a 19-year-old, who can't be named for legal reasons, appeared before the Bendigo Magistrates Court on Friday.
They have been charged with affray by using unlawful violence, intentionally causing injury, recklessly causing injury, and assaulting an emergency worker.
The court heard the three teenagers were in the court yard of the Admissions Unit about 7.30pm on Thursday when they were asked by a staff member to pack up volley ball court equipment.
One of the accused argued and a staff member went inside to diffuse the situation.
The 18-year-old then collected a hard plastic cricket bat from the sports cage and walked over towards the doorway, but hid out of sight from the staff.
The three teens then came into the room with the staff member and confronted the worker.
The 18-year-old was told to put the cricket bat down. The staff member was then struck repeatedly to the head with the bat as he tried to back away from the teens.
Other staff members tried to stop the teenager as the victim fell to the ground. The other teens then joined in on the attack, kicking and pushing the worker while he was on the ground.
Another staff member pulled the 18-year-old away from the worker and was punched repeatedly to the head and face.
The three offenders were then controlled by members of the special emergency response team.
Malsmbury Youth Justice Centre general manager Andrew Lourey told the court, two staff members sustained significant head and facial injuries, including broken noses and significant soft tissue injuries.
The two workers were transported by ambulance to the Bendigo Hospital.
Mr Lourey told the court, two of the three teens had a number of significant offences while in juvenile detention.
The court heard the 19-year-old has assaulted other inmates on eight separate occasions as well as damaging property a number of times.
One of the 18-year-olds, who the court heard instigated the attack, has assaulted juvenile detention staff four times, assaulted other inmates on eight occasions, and has 12 separate incidents of dangerous behaviour, including making vulgar threats to female staff members.
A psychological report found the 19-year-old has a mild disability and has an IQ of 66. The court also heard he has the mental age of a nine or ten-year-old.
The court heard the main instigator in the attack also has low to average intellectual capability.
Police prosecutor Paul Bush applied to have the teens remanded to adult prison while they wait for their next court date.
Defence counsel Tass Antos opposed the application for one of the 18-year-olds and the 19-year-old. He told the court the teens would be vulnerable in adult prison due to their age and intellectual capability.
But Magistrate Timothy Walsh told the court, while he was aware the teens were vulnerable, they needed to be remanded in adult prison for the protection of inmates and staff.
Mr Walsh described Thursday's incident as a "brutal assault" and said the behaviour of the teens while in youth detention has been "less than desirable".
The three teens have been remanded in adult prison and will appear before Kyneton Magistrates Court on October 14.
Staff from the Malmsbury Youth Detention Centre walked off the job on Friday, following the attack. Read more: Malmsbury Youth Justice workers cease work
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