Iranian boy sues Australian immigration over detention

SYDNEY - A ten-year-old Iranian boy will make legal history today when he sues the Australian Immigration Department and a detention centre operator in the NSW Supreme Court for causing him psychological damage.

News Ltd newspapers say Shayan Badraie used to be a vibrant, bubbly boy who enjoyed playing with his toy car collection.

But now, with a psychiatric illness, he is withdrawn and has trouble eating, sleeping and socialising with his classmates at his western Sydney school, his family and legal team say.

The papers say the test case, which could leave the federal government open to millions of dollars in damages, could also open the floodgates for other detainees to start litigation.

Shayan came to national prominence when video footage was smuggled out of Sydney's Villawood detention centre in 2001 showing the boy collapsed in his father's arms, sparking national debate over the policy of keeping children in detention.

- AAP