NSW government refuses to close legal loophole allowing prison staff to strip-search children

Exclusive: Ombudsman demands response from ministers after recommendation to prohibit fully naked body searches of children was ignored

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The New South Wales government has refused to pass laws closing a loophole that allows prison staff to treat children in youth detention as adults, including the use of oppressive" fully-naked-body strip-searches.

The NSW Ombudsman, Paul Miller, has invoked his rarely used power to force ministers to respond to his investigation into the use of adult strip-search powers against children, saying he was not satisfied the government had taken sufficient steps to address his calls for the law to be overhauled.