Prisoner used razor blades to cut himself and his restraints, court told

A Sunshine Coast man was being taken to a new jail when he pulled a razor blade out and started cutting, a Gympie court heard. He later allegedly attacked a correctional officer.

The prisoner is alleged to have pulled a razor blade out of his anus and another out of his mouth to cut himself with.

A 36-year-old Sunshine Coast man was moved to the maximum security wing of Wacol jail to serve the rest of a previous sentence after allegedly seriously assaulting a corrections officer while being transported from Woodford to Maryborough last New Year’s Eve.

Mathew John McDonald, 36, appeared in custody via videolink on Monday, telling Gympie Magistrates Court he intended to plead not guilty to two charges of serious assault of a correctional officer and one of willful damage.

Police prosecutor Melissa Campbell told the court McDonald had been placed in heavy duty restraints before being transported because of his history of self-harming but managed to get out of them enroute.

After stopping at Beerwah Police Station to restrain McDonald again, he caused further disruption by using a razor blade he had hidden in his anus to hurt his hand, Sgt Campbell said.

He then produced another blade from his mouth after he was treated for this, which he used to cut the mesh restraint before trying again to self-harm, the court heard.

“Police and ambulance were once again contacted as the defendant was suffering blood loss and was making statements that he would kill himself to prove a point,” Sgt Campbell said.

She said McDonald was taken directly to Gympie Hospital, where the assaults are alleged to have occurred.

The court heard McDonald kicked a corrections officer in the stomach, despite being handcuffed to the hospital bed and in leg irons.

He later had to be transferred to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane after more razor blades were discovered in his body. Before leaving though he is alleged to have assaulted the same officer by launching himself feet-first from the bed with both feet hitting the officer’s chest and jaw.

McDonald was remanded in custody until August 2.

His mother and step-father sat in the public gallery throughout his appearance.