Judge angry girl left in cells for three days with no shower

An Auckland judge has criticised the treatment of teenagers in police cells after a young girl went for three days without a shower.

Judge Heemi Taumaunu held a special sitting on Saturday to make sure a 16-year-old girl staying in the Henderson Police Station received a shower.

He said she had also not been given sanitary protection until the issue was raised in court.

He asked that his comments in court be typed into the record because the public needed to know what was happening.

There is a shortage of youth justice beds - 102 are available around the country but last week up to 17 children were waiting in police cells for a bed.

The lack of beds has led to reports of judges granting violent young offenders bail rather than leaving them in police cells.

In one case, the Herald understands, a judge told Child Youth and Family that if it did not find a bed for a boy who hit a German exchange student in the face with a hammer, leaving him needing reconstructive surgery, he would grant him bail.

The 16-year-old girl is facing charges including resisting police, assaulting police, unlawful taking of a motor vehicle, burglary, escaping custody and unlawful possession of a firearm.

Judge Taumaunu said he had brought the girl back to court on a Saturday to make sure she had a shower.

There were no beds for her at a youth justice facility on Saturday and her case was being called in the Waitakere Youth Court again today.

Judge Taumaunu said in court it was a systemic problem that needed to be addressed quickly and the girl's case had highlighted how unsuitable police cells were for youths.

He said the girl's situation was not an isolated incident and he did not place blame on the police, who were doing their best.

The girl was fifth on the list to get a bed when one became available.

"For various reasons you ended up in a situation where you spent three days without a shower in the police cells," he said.

Sanitary provisions were not made for her until the matter was raised in court by Senior Constable Richie Williams and suitable clothing and sanitary items were collected for her.

"It just highlights in my mind the police cells are not meant for long-term remand stay and you really have proved that so far."

"You appear to have been treated less well than an adult in a similar situation."

A Child Youth and Family spokesperson said the situation was not acceptable but nothing could be done about it until more beds became available.

The department was battling to find a site for a new facility which would provide a further 24 beds.