A Sri Lankan refugee has been bashed by Serco guards at Villawood detention centre in southwest Sydney, a refugee advocate group says.
However, the Department of Immigration denies the assault ever occurred and says only that a man was taken to hospital for “a medical condition”.
Refugee Action Coalition’s Ian Rintoul said about 20 officers from the security company Serco had some involvement in the incident, while five or six were directly involved in the assault this morning.
“The man, who has suffered in Sri Lanka, was left severely traumatised as well as physically injured,” Mr Rintoul said.
“He was attended to by an ambulance and taken to hospital around 1.30am, daylight saving time, with injuries to his head, face, neck, his hand and legs.
“He is now at Liverpool hospital.”
The 29-year-old Tamil refugee has been in detention for two-and-a-half years, Mr Rintoul said.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Immigration said no assault took place although a man was taken to hospital for a medical condition.
She would not comment on the nature of the condition. - AAP
