The Northern Territory government will drop court action seeking more than $160,000 from two boys who appeared in footage shown on an ABC program about abuse at Darwin's Don Dale juvenile detention centre.
The government's claim was part of a counter suit in which the two former inmates were alleged to have caused significant damage during an escape from juvenile detention last year, and when they allegedly stole a car and rammed it back through the front roller door of the facility.
The pair were part of the group of six boys being held in the behaviour management unit at Don Dale who were tear-gassed when another boy managed to get out of his cell. Footage of the incident was shown on Four Corners on Monday.
In court documents the government alleged that during the escape the boys damaged or destroyed electronics and computers, used a fire hose to flood rooms and corridors, applied paint over walls and destroyed or damaged furniture, ceilings, walls and doors causing $89,000 damage.
A further $74,000 damage was caused two days later when the pair drove a stolen car into the inner roller door at Don Dale, the government claims.
Chief Minister Adam Giles said on Friday while the government would continue to contest a damages claim brought by the boys, it would not continue with its counter suit.
He said the government had also rejected an offer to settle the original damages claim by paying each of the boys $250,000.
He said it was his view that the matter should go to court and before the Royal Commission into the Detention of Children if necessary.
"I'm standing up for territorians. I don't believe taxpayer money should be going towards windfall payouts to prisoners," he said in a statement.
Mr Giles also revealed the NT government was currently being sued by six inmates at Don Dale.
The boys in this case, whose names have been suppressed by the NT Supreme Court, filed papers in June seeking damages for alleged mistreatment by Don Dale staff.
They claim the use of tear gas to quell the disturbance at the centre was reckless and without justification and was intended to cause harm.
Their damages claim also relates to being sprayed with high pressure hoses and the use of handcuffs inside a prison vehicle which they argue constituted an assault.
The boys are seeking general, aggravated and exemplary damages to be assessed by the court.
In other court action related to the Don Dale centre, Darwin lawyer Peter O'Brien earlier this week announced he is suing the NT government on behalf of Dylan Voller, now 18, and a 16-year-old boy.
Guards were shown stripping, tear gassing, hog-tying and assaulting Mr Voller. The other boy was also tear gassed.
Statements of claim filed with the Supreme Court in March and April allege Mr Voller and the boy were unlawfully detained and assaulted.
