Dylan Voller, who’s been at the centre of the Northern Territory Royal Commission investigating mistreatment of youth at Darwin’s Don Dale Youth Detention Centre, today appeared in the NT Supreme Court via video link from Alice Springs.
Voller’s supervision conditions were changed to allow him to occasionally spend the night at his brother’s house in Alice Springs while transitioning out of BushMob.
“I’ve been really looking forward and am re-integrating back into the community like a normal person.”
Trevor Moses, appearing for the Crown, told the court a compliance report from corrections “shows over the last 10 weeks [Voller] has been consistent with very onerous conditions” put in place by the court.
“It shows great promise for the way forward,” Mr Moses said.
Speaking with NITV News today Mr Voller said spending more time with his family was something he was looking forward to.
Dylan Voller before the Royal Commission giving evidence. Source: (Royal Commission/AAP)
“I think it’ll be good to re-integrate back in with my family and have that family time, it’s been a long time since I’ve been around my family and being living with my family so just to get our relationship stronger and closer for when I move back in,” Mr Voller told NITV outside court.
Voller spent eight years of his childhood in detention, but said he’s finally getting back on his feet.
“I’ve been really looking forward and am re-integrating back into the community like a normal person,” he said.
“Many people thought that I’d be breached already an put back in jail so I’m just happy that I’m proving everyone wrong and proving all the people right that were sticking by me and saying I could make it.
“I’ve changed a lot and my maturity and what I want to do in life, I’ve learnt what I want to do and where I’m going, I want to be a role model and have a good job and be a there for all other young people.”
The court heard Voller has been displaying good behaviour, but can “withdraw” when he doesn’t agree with decisions made by those in charge of his supervision.
“It’s hard to get out of the system and fall back on your feet and do everything perfectly, so there has been some hard times but I’ve had the good support around me to be able to talk to when times do get hard, and my progress has been good,” Voller said.
“My reports have been good from both corrections and BushMob that I’m complying with all my conditions and everything set out to me.”
Voller had been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for robbery in 2014, which he was due to complete in October, but he was released into BushMob rehabilitation centre in February this year.
Voller is due to complete his sixteen-week program at BushMob in one month.
If he continues to comply with his “very strict conditions”, he could have the remainder of his sentence suspended.
