Inmate ‘enjoyed’ prison rampage

A PRISONER who caused tens of thousands of dollars damage during two drug-fuelled rampages appeared to enjoy the spectacle of his criminal activities, a court has heard.

Erich Leonard Ungerhofer, 21, was sentenced in the Supreme Court in Hobart yesterday to 18 months’ jail for two counts of destroying property.

The first count related to a solo rampage that caused $29,500 damage to a Risdon Prison medium security unit, in which Ungerhofer was housed, on March 3 last year. The second count related to an incident on March 31 in a maximum security unit.

Acting Justice David Porter said Ungerhofer encouraged fellow inmate Jackson Elijah Yammi Mansfield, 20, to get involved in the second rampage and together the men caused $101,255 damage.

Ungerhofer pleaded guilty to both counts.

“These matters ... were seri- ous challenges to prison authority, particularly the second incident,” Justice Porter said.

He said Ungerhofer’s behaviour had been “fuelled by illicitly obtained narcotics” and a psychiatric report said Ungerhofer “appeared to enjoy the spectacle of his criminal misadventures”.

Justice Porter said during the March 3 incident Ungerhofer used a broom handle to activate a fire sprinkler system, broke windows and “behaved in a destructive and bizarre manner” for about 50 minutes.

On March 31, Ungerhofer and Mansfield caused damage for 50 minutes before they were stopped by the prison’s tactical response group.

Mansfield was sentenced to 15 months’ jail in February for the part he played in the destruction.

Justice Porter said Ungerhofer’s offending had breached a suspended sentence he was given in January last year.

At the time of the destruction, Ungerhofer was serving a one-year sentence for various offences including causing damage to property.

Justice Porter said Ungerhofer was at high risk of reoffending.

He will serve the 18-month sentence cumulative with his other sentence and will not be eligible to apply for parole until he has served 10 months.