Court hears suspended Port Augusta Prison officer touched thighs of colleagues at staff Christmas after-party

Three SA prison workers quit after his actions at a staff party, but now this suspended guard’s lawyer has asked a court to go easy to save his job.

A suspended Port Augusta prison officer who admitted he ran his hand up the thighs of multiple former colleagues told workers he committed the crimes “because of how the sluts were dressed”, a victim says.

A lawyer representing Craig Norman Campbell in the Port Augusta Magistrates Court asked the judge not to record a conviction of the three counts of assault for fear his client would permanently lose his job.

But a victim of the assault, who wished to remain anonymous and quit her job because of the offending, said the prospect of Campbell returning to work was a slap in the face for women’s rights.

The court heard Campbell, 49, was “extremely intoxicated” at Base at the Barracks, a pop-up nightclub, on December 15, 2018, and drank 14 cans of Jack Daniel’s and Coke.

Prosecutor Michael Hill said Campbell attended the “unofficial after-party” of the staff Christmas show and touched the upper thighs of two female victims, and the neck of a third victim.

Suspended prison officer Craig Norman Campbell leaves Port Augusta Magistrates Court. Picture: Dean Martin

“This was a pattern of continued offending throughout the course of the night … his continued actions caused each of the three victims discomfort that ultimately led to them transferring out of or terminating their employment at Port Augusta Prison,” Mr Hill said.

Campbell’s defence lawyer, Nic Kernahan, asked Magistrate David McLeod not to record a conviction of the three counts of assault.

“His employment is obviously at risk and he’s a man in his midlife and that’s going to cause him some problems.”

The victim said for months after the offending, Campbell spoke about the incident in the workplace while they were still both employed.

“He openly went around our workplace making claims saying ‘it’s not my fault, you should’ve seen how the sluts were dressed’ … it became a joke,” she said.

Campbell remained working at the prison until July 2021, and was suspended on the same day The Advertiser made inquiries about his employment status.

The victim worried about the prospect of Campbell returning to work at the prison.

“I feel it would be so disappointing for myself, but also for every other woman out there trying to fight for their rights … what these lawyers are trying to argue is that his employability is more important than the safety of women in the workplace,” she said.

A Correctional Services spokesman said the department would review Campbell’s employment status after the outcome of the court case was known.

Sentencing submissions will be heard in October.