Cleveland Dodd inquest: Unit 18 boss admits giving incorrect evidence to CCC about cell camera problem

The former boss of Casuarina Prison’s Unit 18 has admitted he gave incorrect evidence to the Corruption and Crime Commission when he claimed he didn’t know about cell cameras being frequently covered until Cleveland Dodd died. Douglas Coyne, who was superintendent at the time, told the watchdog at private hearings in February that “he was not aware of the prevalence of the practice” before that tragic day. “Superintendent Coyne said that he was not aware of cell cameras being routinely covered during day shifts or night shifts, as ‘that never got raised with me’,” a CCC report released in June read. But Mr Coyne, now the assistant deputy commissioner for young people, conceded under intense questioning at the Aboriginal boy’s inquest last Friday that he knew about the problem in May 2023. He testified he even had a discussion with his deputy Marc O’Siochain about it — but didn’t believe staff raised it with him “as a major issue”. Then on Tuesday, under questioning by State Solicitor’s Office lawyer David Leigh, Mr Coyne told the WA Coroner’s Court the same as what he told the CCC — that he only learnt on October 12 that detainees were covering their cells for extended periods. Coroner Phil Urquhart was incredulous, saying youth custodial officers, the senior officer on duty that night and the unit manager had all given evidence that it was a continuous problem. The court had also heard evidence that the issue had repeatedly gone “all the way up the chain” to the senior management team, Mr Urquhart said. “I’m going to suggest to you squarely that they did raise it with you as an ongoing problem . . . that it was continuously covered . . . and that 90 per cent of the cells had that problem,” the coroner said. Mr Coyne firmly said he disagreed. But he then backtracked after counsel assisting the coroner Anthony Crocker asked him if he wanted to modify, walk back from or resile from that testimony. “I was aware that they would cover cameras but not long term,” Mr Coyne admitted. Mr Coyne conceded that his evidence last week and an official statement were both “completely inconsistent” with what he was now saying. Mr Crocker asked if what he said to the CCC was not true. “Yes. At the time, I thought it was correct,” Mr Coyne said. He said he realised afterwards as he was looking through his evidence. Mr Coyne added that he had seen “cameras placed outside the cells as well”. Mr Crocker put it to Mr Coyne that his conscience got the better of him and that he also realised the CCC testimony “would not withstand the inquest”. “That’s why you decided to tell the truth,” the lawyer asked. “It was going to be an impossible sell to maintain.” Mr Coyne replied: “Yes”. He did not respond after Mr Crocker said: “You thought you could lie your way out of it at the CCC.” Mr Coyne also told the court he shouldn’t have signed the statement. “Perhaps I was tired. I’ve been dealing with this a lot. I’ve been under a lot of pressure and a lot of stress,” Mr Coyne said. He said he now “wanted to be honest”. Mr Coyne - who was also the superintendent of Banksia Hill Detention Centre and would visit Unit 18 about once a fortnight for half a day - has finished giving evidence but may be recalled. In a one-line statement on Tuesday, the CCC said: “The Commission is following the Coroner’s inquest with obvious interest”. Wet toilet paper obscured the lens in the 16-year-old’s cell from 3pm on October 11, meaning control room staff were not monitoring him when he hung himself from a broken vent that tragic night. The cameras were the only way to monitor the boys as their cells did not have viewing windows. Mr Coyne brought Cleveland’s mother Nadene Dodd to tears on Friday when he said Cleveland’s death could have been prevented if the camera had been uncovered. Earlier on Tuesday, Mr Coyne testified that detainees rated at the highest risk of self-harm were still being held at Unit 18 until the inquest began shining a spotlight on the notorious facility with the first tranche of hearings in April. That was despite it not being suitable for such detainees, without mental health staff and cells with see-through panels in the doors, which Banksia Hill Detention Centre had. He also admitted he knew damaged ceiling vents were hanging risks before Cleveland used his. And despite ordering for all of them to be fixed after the coroner showed up the day after the Aboriginal teen died, it still took until early December to complete that work. Lifeline 13 11 14