Josiah Binsaris denied bail after alleged involvement in axe attack, Alice Springs prison riots

A former Don Dale detainee allegedly assaulted a prison guard while being forced into a restraint chair during the Alice Springs prison riot following the Rolfe verdict.

Former Don Dale detainee Josiah Binsaris, 24, won a $220,000 payout following his abuse while a child in the infamous Territory youth prison.

One of the four teenagers part of an almost $1m Don Dale payout is accused of assaulting an Alice Springs prison guard while being forced into a restraint chair during a riot.

Josiah Binsaris appeared before Darwin Local Court on Wednesday for a bail hearing, a week after he was arrested in a three-hour siege at Humpty Doo.

It came eight days after the NT government was ordered to pay him $220,000 in damages, nine years after Binsaris and three other boys were unlawfully tear gassed in Don Dale in 2014.

The court heard during his recent time in adult custody, Binsaris allegedly assaulted a guard while being strapped into a restraint chair during an Alice Springs prison riot on March 11, 2022.

Judge Ben O’Loughlin said the riot was sparked after prisoners learned Zach Rolfe was found not guilty on all charges for the shooting of Aboriginal teenager Kumanjayi Walker.

It was alleged during the prison protest Binsaris complied with orders to lay on the ground and was handcuffed, but started to resist when guards tried to lift him.

Binsaris allegedly began swearing and kicked an officer in the knees, before being ground stabilised twice.

Binsaris allegedly assaulted a guard while being strapped into a restraint chair during an Alice Springs prison riot on March 11, 2022.

Judge O’Loughlin said the 24-year-old was strapped into a restraint chair.

It was alleged while Binsaris was strapped into the chair with his legs still shackled together, he kicked out and hit a Corrections worker to the side of the head.

While on bail, Binsaris and two others allegedly broke into a sleeping woman’s home on August 14.

It was alleged the victim was dragged out of her bed, while a woman yelled “wake up slut” and punched her and hit her with an axe.

Binsaris allegedly stood guard, and punched her boyfriend when he tried to intervene in the axe assault.

It was alleged while Binsaris was strapped into the chair with his legs still shackled together, he kicked out and hit a Corrections worker to the side of the head. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images

The 24-year-old was charged with recklessly endangering serious harm, burglary and property damage, with an unrelated charge for assaulting a worker at Alice Springs.

Defence lawyer Nicola MacCarron maintained that identification was still tenuous as the alleged victim had “assumed” a masked man was her 24-year-old client.

Ms MacCarron said the police body cam recorded the victim saying: “everything was a blur … (but) I knew that Josiah had a mask on his face”.

“He covered his face up. I don’t know why. Everyone knows who he is.”

Mr O’Loughlin refused Binsaris’s bail, and he was remanded in custody until November 1.

Originally published as Josiah Binsaris denied bail after alleged involvement in axe attack, Alice Springs prison riots