Major security breach at Yatala as two prisoners stage roof protest

ONE of the state's most notorious criminals staged a 50-minute protest in a major security breach at Yatala.

ONE of the state's most notorious criminals staged a 50-minute protest in a major security breach at Yatala.

The incident, which involved serial armed robber Anthony John Smith and violent criminal Jamie Lee Milton, is the most significant security scare at Yatala since the violent 1996 riots.

Last Monday's breach, which was not publicised because of fears of "copycat" incidents in other prisons, came just eight days after the escape of prisoner Drew Griffiths from the Parole Board's Flinders St premises, which is still under investigation.

Yatala sources said at the height of the protest, the pair were being "cheered and whooped" by several other prisoners, creating a "potentially dangerous situation".

"It was a tense atmosphere because incidents such as this can escalate quite quickly in that setting," one prison source said.

While Smith was unarmed during his rooftop protest, prison officers found Milton had a razor blade hidden in his clothing when he was recaptured by Yatala's riot response officers and searched.

Correctional Services Minister Tom Koutsantonis said yesterday a full review of security had been ordered following the "serious and unacceptable" incident.

"I do not think there was any risk of an escape and I commend the Correctional Service officers and Yatala management for their swift and professional response in diffusing the situation without using force," he said.

Correctional Services chief executive Peter Severin said the security review had already determined that extra razor wire be installed to prevent similar incidents and the affected recreation yards would not be used until the work was completed.

"He (Smith) opportunistically climbed up the wall of an external fire escape," he said. "This was certainly something that was very serious, but in the scheme of things, it was very controlled, it was managed and there was no danger to anybody." He said both prisoners had now been placed in isolation in G Division in order to minimise any further disturbances within Yatala "until further notice".

The incident unfolded at 2.30pm on Monday when Smith, 31, managed to climb on to the roof of Yatala's E Division. He was in an adjacent exercise yard with other inmates at the time. Prison officers immediately started negotiating with Smith, who was unarmed. He informed the officers he was "unhappy" over his treatment within the prison.

At 3pm, Milton, 31, climbed on to the roof of the B Division recreation yard.

While they are known associates, it is believed his actions were simply copying Smith and they were not coconspirators in the protests. The volatile situation, which caused a lockdown of all divisions, was diffused when Smith voluntarily climbed down from the roof at 3.20pm - 50 minutes after scaling the fire escape cage.

Milton climbed down from the recreation yard roof at the same time.

Smith, one of SA's most violent criminals, is serving a sentence of 30 years and nine months, with a non-parole period of 18 years.

He was convicted in 2003 of offences, including three counts of armed robbery, causing grievous bodily harm, illegal use, causing grievous bodily harm with intent to resist arrest and escaping from custody.

In 1999, he escaped from custody while visiting his sick father at the Royal Adelaide Hospital by fleeing through the Botanic Gardens. While on the run for more than a year, he robbed two banks of more than $184,000 - but in the last robbery, shot two people.

Smith's earliest parole date is November, 2018.

The sources said it was also a "major concern" that Smith had managed to climb on to the roof of the building.

He has previously been involved in several planned breakouts - one of which involved scaling a roof to escape via an administration building.

Milton is serving a sentence of 12 years and three months, with a non-parole period of seven years for offences including escape from custody, aggravated assault, aggravated robbery, robbery and aggravated robbery while armed with an offensive weapon.

He was placed in Yatala after being sentenced in April, 2006. In October, 2007, he escaped from prison officers while he was receiving medical treatment at the RAH.