Teen incident in Labrador lockup deplorable: justice minister

The treatment of a teenager in a Labrador lockup has sparked the ire of Newfoundland and Labrador's new justice minister, who vows it will not happen again on his watch.

"It was unacceptable and I would go so far as to say intolerable," Jerome Kennedy said Tuesday, responding to how a 14-year-old boy was held in the RCMPlockupin Happy Valley-Goose Bay for eight days without being given a shower.

Apart from the wait being too long, Kennedy said, the RCMP did not follow the standards they must provide.

The boy was also not allowed to meet with his mother for more than a week, court was told last month.

Provincial court judge John Joy blasted not only the delayed wait the boy endured in a lockup, butalso the "hell" of a year he spent in the care of provincial social services officials.

Kennedy, a veteran criminal defence lawyer who was appointed justice ministerlast week,focused his attentions on the boy's treatment in the RCMP lockup.

He said the justice department has already relayed concerns to the RCMP.

"It appears from our initial review that numerous of these standards of care were violated and they cause me concern," Kennedy said.

"How could this occur when we have these standards of care which are outlined in an operations manual?"

He said these standards of care will be posted in all provincial lockups and that the government will not let a minor linger again in a lockup without proper care.

"This will never happen again. I can assure you," Kennedy said.

As well, Kennedy has contacted the ministers responsible for health and community services, Labrador affairs and aboriginal affairs.

Returned to custody of father

When the teenager was placed in care in 2006, he did not have a criminal record. Since then, he was brought before the court numerous times, largely for breaching curfew orders at a group home.

Joy said he was considering finding the regional director of child, youth and family services in contempt of court because of how she has handled the case.

Joy returned the boy to the custody of his father, who lives in Natuashish.

Kennedy said he is waiting to read a full transcript of Joy's remarks before he comments further on them.

The RCMP is conducting its own review of the 10 days the boy was held in its Happy Valley-Goose Bay lockup.

As well, Newfoundland and Labrador's child and youth advocate is investigating what happened.