Don Dale youths victim: Don’t give them a cent

A CAFE owner who had a tomahawk held to his neck by one of the tear-gassed former Don Dale detainees suing the government for mistreatment behind bars wants to make sure his attacker never sees a cent of any payout.

Tony Mazza, the owner of Cafe Bellissimo at Jape Homemaker Centre, arrived at work shortly after 6am on October 10, 2017, when Kieran Webster, armed with a tomahawk, ordered Mr Mazza to his knees and demanded money.

The NT News revealed earlier this month that Webster, 18 at the time of the robbery, was one of the teenagers whose tear-gassing in Don Dale in 2014 prompted the $70 million NT Royal Commission.

Webster was in 2017 awarded $17,000 for mistreatment in detention, but he and the other former detainees were ordered to pay the bulk of the government’s legal bill, meaning they are unlikely to see a cent unless they win an upcoming appeal in the High Court.

Mr Mazza said he wanted to put together a group of victims and speak with a lawyer about CAFE OWNER TONY MAZZA suing the teens if they end up with a windfall.

“If they do get a dollar, we’ll take it all back off of them,” Mr Mazza said.

Mr Mazza said he was left about $20,000 out of pocket after the robbery, including lost trade at his popular cafe and increased insurance costs.

“It’s not just me, this is about all the other victims they have hurt,” Mr Mazza said.

He said that it was “outrageous” that hardworking taxpayers could have to pay damages to former detainees, even if they were mistreated, when dozens of law-abiding citizens have been left traumatised and out of pocket by teenage crooks.

Webster’s rap sheet at the time of the 2014 tear-gassing included 18 charges of unlawfully using a motor vehicle, 20 charges of stealing and 12 charges of aggravated unlawful entry. During an escape from Don Dale in the weeks before the tear-gassing, Webster brandished a large steel bar and threatened guards

In 2017, Justice Judith Kelly found Webster lacked credibility as a witness, having incorrectly claimed guards would handcuff his wrists so tight he would be left with bruises.

Mr Mazza praised the decision of Justice Stephen Southwood to allow Webster’s name to be made public.

“If they do get a dollar, we’ll take it all back off of them”