Immigration detainee who allegedly attacked guards arrested

Immigration detainee Paea Teu has been arrested after allegedly attacking two guards with a shiv while being deported to Tonga.

A major manhunt was launched after immigration detainee Paea Teu, who allegedly stabbed a Border Force contractor in the neck while under escort from Villawood to Sydney Airport and fled.

Immigration detainee Paea Teu has been arrested two days after allegedly attacking two guards with a shiv while being escorted to the airport for deportation.

The 28-year-old fled custody in the early hours of Thursday morning, and spent more than 48 hours on the run from police and the Australian Border Force.

Officers attached to Campbelltown Police Area Command caught up to him around 9.40pm last night, after they were called to Eschol Park Drive, Eschol Park, following reports Teu had ben sighted by a member of the public.

A short time later, he was arrested on Ballantrae Drive, St Andrews, and was taken to Campbelltown Police Station.

A woman, aged 24, was also arrested at the scene and was taken to the same police station.

Teu has been charged with cause wounding/grievous bodily harm to person with intent to murder and wound person with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

He was refused bail to appear at Parramatta Local Court today.

The woman has been charged with knowingly harbour, maintain or employ an escaped inmate and was granted conditional bail to appear at Campbelltown Local Court on Thursday.

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The detainee was originally supposed to be deported last month, however his escort was called off because of a medical episode

The private company in charge of Villawood, who are on a $2.3 billion government contract, are facing criticism from the United Workers Union, who warn the incident highlights “serious issues around unsafe staffing levels.”

The Daily Telegraph can reveal 28-year-old Teu allegedly overstayed his visa, and was initially due to be deported last month, according to a source close to the investigation.
However, his escort was “aborted” due to “medical noncompliance.”

Police have released a pic of the detainee Paea Teu who attacked two workers at Sydney Airport while he was being deported from Australia. Picture: Facebook

Despite the initial failed deportation attempt, he was still classified a “low risk” detainee and was not restrained or handcuffed during the escort on Thursday morning.

It’s understood he was a “voluntary detainee” – which means he had agreed to be removed from the country.

A source with detailed knowledge of Teu’s escape said it was lucky one of the guards wasn’t killed during the near-20 minute assault.

Police dog squads search a house in St Andrews in the Campbelltown region believing it may have contained fugitive Paea Teu. The search was unsuccessful. Picture: TNV

“That was very near a fatality. An edged weapon attack in an enclosed space,” they said.

“If he was in police custody, they would have likely been justified in using firearms.”

The Telegraph understands that staff from the private firm now in charge of Villawood Detention Centre – MTC Secure Journeys – are generally not armed during escorts of this nature.

MTC Secure Journeys have just commenced a five year, $2.3 billion deal with the federal government to run Australia’s onshore detainee network – including Villawood.

Blood splatter inside the car of an alleged stabbing of two border force contractors. Picture: Thomas Lisson

On Friday the United Workers Union took aim at MTC Secure Journeys over the incident, claiming its members “have raised serious issues around unsafe staffing levels at detention centres” in recent months.

The Union highlighted multiple concerns regarding reductions in staffing to “unsafe levels”, “changes to written protocols … or the complete absence of written protocols for certain activities” and “significant changes in how the detention network’s transport and escort team is operated and staffed.”

Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke has been briefed on the incident and is on his way back from Indonesia after attending official talks with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Foreign Minister Penny Wong. A spokesman for Mr Burke’s office declined to comment.

Labor has faced widespread criticism regarding border security after a 2023 decision by the High Court forced the release of what is now hundreds of dangerous criminals into the community, including murderers and sex offenders. Several have since reoffended.

Originally published as Immigration detainee who allegedly attacked guards arrested