Dale sues for jail treatment
FORMER detective Paul Dale is suing the state of Victoria over his treatment while in custody for the execution-style murder of police informant Terence Hodson.
Dale, who walked free in 2010 after the charge was dropped, says he suffers from a major depressive disorder as a result of his jail time.
In a writ filed with the Victorian Supreme Court, Dale says for much of his time in custody his only company was three convicted terrorists who spoke mostly Lebanese.
“When they rarely spoke English they spoke mostly about issues relating to their shared religious and cultural beliefs, and thus afforded no company for the plaintiff,” the writ says.
Dale says he was isolated and held in a small cell and, while he should have been al- lowed to interact with other remand prisoners, he should not have been held with convicted criminals.
He is seeking damages because the state breached his right to be held in conditions that would not increase his risk of psychiatric injury, his claim says.
Dale was in Barwon Prison’s high-security unit between February 13, 2009, and September 11, 2009, during which he spent six weeks in the “Loss of Privileges” unit and 22 weeks in Unit 2.
Dale’s writ says he was allowed an unreasonably small number of visits and phone calls, but was subjected to unreasonably frequent strip searches.
He says he was denied access to education opportunities and required to wear a bright red prison outfit.
The legal action started in 2012 but there have been lengthy delays due to a coronial inquest into the death of Terence Hodson, the Victorian Supreme Court heard on Friday.
State Coroner Ian Gray is yet to deliver a finding in the Hodson inquest.
Dale’s civil matter will return to the Supreme Court in October.