Risdon assault charges
TWO inmates will face charges of Criminal Code assault over an alleged attack on another inmate at Risdon Prison.
Police alleged a 35-year-old man was in the maximumsecurity exercise yard just after 3pm on Wednesday when he was approached by the two accused, aged 24 and 25.
It is alleged that two in- mates assaulted the 35-yearold, leaving him with serious facial injuries. He was treated at the Royal Hobart Hospital and has returned to prison.
Police said no prison officers were injured in the alleged incident and no weapons were involved.
Sources told the Mercury the alleged assault was a “wellorchestrated” attack on an inmate who had previously been in protective custody for some time. The date for the accused men’s court appearance is yet to be determined.
It comes as the Tasmanian Prison Service continues to struggle with overcrowding.
It was the second “quite serious” assault on an inmate in the past fortnight, Prisoners Legal Service chairman Greg Barns said.
“You’re going to see in- creasing violence — it’s an inevitable consequence of the Government’s deliberate policy of overcrowding,” he said.
Last week, it was revealed the Government was “closely investigating” the establishment of a prison in the North of the state.
Figures revealed by Upper House leader Leonie Hiscutt have shown Tasmania’s prison system was operating at 94 per cent capacity last week, with 614 prisoners in the system. A total of 168 of those were unconvicted inmates or remandees, with 446 under sentence.
Independent Windermere MLC Ivan Dean has moved a motion asking the Upper House to consider the prison system’s operation and management.
Additional funding of $4 million had been provided to deal with increasing costs due to higher numbers of inmates, Ms Hiscutt said.
She said investigations into a northern prison would continue in a “deliberate and considered” fashion.
The Government is recruiting prison guards, with 18 correctional officers due to graduate from training in December and a second group expected by May.