Jarrad Leao jailed for throwing hot water on cellmate at Adelaide Remand Centre

A prisoner threw hot water in the face of his cellmate – leaving him with burns – because he was acting “weird”. Watch the attack here.

A young man who threw hot water on his cellmate because he was acting “weird” is trying to turn his life around.

Jarrad Leao, 25, committed the brutal assault out of fear that his cellmate was going to attack him.

The Adelaide District Court heard Leao’s victim was his cellmate at the Adelaide Remand Centre where he was in custody at the time.

CCTV footage showed Leao’s cellmate sitting in the common area while Leao filled up a cup of hot water on July 14, 2020.

“You are seen to pick up the cup and approach the victim and then throw the contents over the side of his face,” Judge Joanne Tracey said during sentencing.

Leao then punched him several times, before the prison guards separated them.

The court heard Leao’s victim suffered burns to his shoulder and face and was hospitalised for two days.

The court heard Leao stole sunglasses valued at $390 from a store on September 12, 2021 and resisted police when they tried to arrest him.

Jarrad Leao was jailed in Adelaide District Court for throwing hot water at his cellmate. Photo: Facebook

Leao pleaded guilty to multiple charges, including causing harm with intent and theft.

The court heard Leao told a psychologist he threw hot water on his cellmate out of desperation, as he was being “weird” and “frequently touching him”.

“You say you were worried your cellmate was planning to attack you,” Judge Tracey said.

“Despite what you say about the victim’s behaviour, there is no excuse for you to have behaved as you did.

“As was conceded you could have gone to the authorities and reported the behaviour, asking to be moved.”

The court heard Leao had a traumatic childhood and struggled with homelessness but that he was motivated to seek assistance and improve his mental health once released from jail.

Leao was sentenced to nine months in jail.

The sentence was backdated to September 12, 2021.

“I urge you to use the next few months to make plans as to how you are going to go about living safely and offence free within the community,” Judge Tracey said.