WA: Detention centre worker in court over inmate sex charges

AAP General News (Australia)
04-08-2004
WA: Detention centre worker in court over inmate sex charges

Eds: Changes keyword from Banksia



By Tim Clarke

PERTH, April 8 AAP - A former care worker at a juvenile detention centre has been warned
by a magistrate not to contact a 17 year-old inmate she is alleged to have had sex with
while working at the facility.

Tanya Marie Quartermaine, 37, faced court today after police charged her with five
counts of sexually penetrating a child over 16 years under her care, and one count of
being a person in authority indecently dealing with a child.

Quartermaine is alleged to have started the sexual relationship with the teenager earlier
this year while working as a liaison officer at the Banksia Hill detention centre, 20
km south east of Perth.

After reading out the charges during a hearing at the Perth Court of Petty Sessions,
Magistrate Peter Malone granted Quartermaine bail on the understanding she not contact
the complainant, who was not named.

Quartermaine, from the Perth suburb of Gosnells, was also required to provide a $2,000
personal assurance and a $2,000 surety. She will next appear in court in May.

Banksia Hill is Perth's newest juvenile detention centre, housing youngsters aged 10 to 17 years.

The centre has a range of accommodation and special programs catering for 120 male
and female offenders who have been sentenced by the courts for a few months to several
years.

It houses 88 detainees who are supervised by about 100 staff.

WA's Department of Justice earlier said Quartermaine's contract had expired recently
and she was no longer employed at the facility.

Because she no longer worked there, an internal investigation would not be held, a
department spokesman confirmed.

AAP tc/cmc/br

KEYWORD: QUARTERMAINE (CHANGES KEYWORD)

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