JAILHOUSE ROCKED
Reduced security for terrorists, rapists Nearby residents ‘at risk’ from escapees
A WHISTLEBLOWER claims Lara’s Karreenga prison is the worst he’s ever seen with huge issues around security and safety.
The insider said both staff and surrounding residents were in danger and described how an armed prisoner managed to cut and smash his way out of a holding cell.
The informant said those being housed inside the medium-security facility included terrorists, Tony Mokbel’s drug cooks and Geelong CBD rapist Luke Gill.
AN INSIDER has exposed details of an armed inmate’s attempted escape to highlight security issues they say are plaguing a troubled mediumsecurity prison at Lara.
The whistleblower alleges prison management failed to call police when the inmate, facing deportation and armed with a knife and screw driver, escaped his cottage accommodation at Karreenga prison before being found on a roof in the complex six hours later.
“I’m putting my job on the line here because of the concerns I have for the safety of the public and for the staff. Karreenga is the worst prison I’ve ever seen,” the prison officer told the Geelong Advertiser.
“I just can’t believe how they do it.”
The source said a prisoner, set for deportation and aged in his 30s, cut through mesh and smashed a window to get out of his cottage holding cell one night in November 2017.
“We’d put the prison on notice that he was at risk of it but instead of moving him to Barwon Prison like they should have, they just moved him into a cottage on the other side of Karreenga. He was out all night and could’ve grabbed the female on guard outside at any time of the night,” the officer said.
“The fencing was supposed to be beefed up for medium security but it wasn’t, nothing happened, no alarm even went off.
“These prisoners facing deportation, they have nothing to lose, the community outside should be very concerned if they get out.”
A spokeswoman for Corrections Victoria said security arrangements were reviewed following the attempted escape.
“In November 2017, a prisoner was able to breach the security of his cottage-style accommodation. However, he was not able to breach any further layers of the internal and perimeter security and at no point was the public in any danger,” the spokeswoman said.
“I’m putting my job on the line here because of the concerns I have for the safety of the public and for the staff. Karreenga is the worst prison I’ve ever seen.”
“Following the attempted escape, Corrections Victoria reviewed security arrangements and a number of procedural changes and security improvements are being completed.
“Corrections authorities conduct rigorous security and risk assessments on anyone coming into the prison system to ensure their placement is safe and secure.”
The whistleblower said a lack of security upgrades to address Karreenga moving from a restricted minimum security facility to medium security was “frightening”.
“A prisoner recently was caught trying to escape with a 12-inch blade, screw driver and weapons in a bag,” he said.
“There are prisoners that simply shouldn’t be there, they should be in Barwon (high-security prison). “They have nothing to lose.” In March 2016 it was revealed the new 300-bed Karreenga facility would be “reprofiled” to accommodate protection prisoners due to the growing population of those awaiting trial.
It had been described by the Napthine Government in 2014, ahead of construction, as being for lower risk criminals.
A string of prisoner deaths at Karreenga was revealed in July last year, including two suicides and two men dying of natural causes just months apart.
The Corrections Victoria spokeswoman said a full review was conducted prior to the opening of Karreenga in 2016 to ensure it met the security standards of a mediumsecurity prison.
The informant said those being housed inside Karreenga included two terrorists convicted of a planned attack on NSW’s Holsworthy Army Barracks; Tony Mokbel’s drug cooks; and Geelong CBD rapist Luke Gill.
“We’ve just got so many prisoners in Karreenga that just shouldn’t be there and everyone’s turning a blind eye,” they said.
“They either self-harm or attempt suicide to get out because they know that’s the only way to get out. There have been heaps that officers have stopped.
“We need more workers to supervise them; the four extra we got this year have just gone into improving prisoner programs and not improving security.”
Community and Public Sector Union Victoria spokesman Julian Kennelly said the union was aware of the latest issues and said it had previously raised them with the Department of Justice.
“The last government just forced the system to stack and rack crims hoping that would deal with the perception they’d addressed crime,” he said. “They put the cart before the horse and went hard then built a new jail but forgot about five-year lead time.”
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