Capricornia Correctional Centre riots: Prisoner insiders reveal the use of gas and shotguns

Exclusive images show the damage caused in a 16-hour riot at Capricornia Correctional Centre, as it can be revealed teargas, handheld grenades and shotguns were used to bring the unrest to an end. SEE THE PHOTOS

Smashed windows, a toilet ripped from a wall, damaged pipes, slashed corrugated iron and destroyed copper piping made up just some of the destructive scenes at Capricornia Correctional Centre in the aftermath of a 16-hour riot between inmates and prison staff.

Exclusive new images sourced by this publication reveal the true extent of the damage caused in the riots, protest and fires which erupted on October 21 at the prison north of Rockhampton.

Damage to a cell.

Prison insiders, who cannot be named, have revealed the events that led up to the unrest.

It all began around 9am on the Thursday morning when maximum-security inmates in secure unit four were told they had to return to their cells.

The prisoners didn’t want to go back to their cells as they had only been allowed out since the 6am breakfast call.

Inmates had become increasingly fed up and frustrated at a lack of out-of-cell time, the insiders revealed.

Extensive damage in a cell.

They claimed when the prison was understaffed, the centre had to operate on an “operational staffing” model, and cut back on activities, public visiting hours and prisoners had to be locked in their cells more often.

The prisoners must also remain in their cells when there are staff strikes or staff and union meetings, as was the case on Thursday.

Tensions among the prisoners had been rising due to this and Thursday’s lockdown was seemingly the tipping point.

An inmate threw an item, believed to be a “buy-up crate” at a correctional officer.

This was the beginning of what would become a 16-hour siege involving up to 70 prisoners.

Damaged piping.

Inmates managed to break into a garden shed and source petrol which they used to make Molotov cocktails, as well as injecting, inhaling and ingesting it.

Mess in a common area.

The secure unit prisoners damaged their unit and then managed to break out in the secure compound before they kicked down a fence and gained accessed to the residential compound.

Up to 20 prisoners from the residential unit saw the riots and joined in, as the events escalated even further.

Damage to a door.

They destroyed multiple officers’ stations, units and cells, lit fires and smashed cameras.

Capricornia correctional officers, along with back up assistance from Maryborough and Brisbane prisons, put their lives on the line to take control of the unrest, bringing out shotguns and administering all types of gas from pepper spray, foggers and handheld grenades.

Eventually, all inmates involved in the unrest were cornered by the officers when they climbed onto the roof of the activities building.

At 6pm, around 60 inmates were atop the roof and by 8pm about 40 were left.

By 2.30am, the last group of nine inmates surrendered and were sent back to their cells, where they continue to await the consequences of their riotous and unruly behaviour.

Iron destroyed.

THE STAFF AND UNION MEETING

The prisoners were sent back into their cells on Thursday because the centre had to go into lockdown so the staff could attend a staff meeting, followed by a union meeting with the Together Union.

The staff meeting was set for 9am and the union meeting was to be held at 10am.

The meetings were called to discuss an offer that was presented by the State Government on Monday, amid their Enterprise Bargaining Agreement battle.

The union has been in negotiations for pay rises for correctional officers for the past two years.

A02 correctional officers are paid 8.5 per cent less than the award wage and Queensland officers are the worst paid prison staff in Australia.

The new offer was for a one-off $1250 payment and a 2.5 per cent pay rise per year, over four years.

Together Union regional organiser Ashleigh Saunders said the offer was a “spit in the face”.

“Our correction members are the lowest paid in the country, they are currently paid below 8.5 per cent award wages, we have been trying to negotiate the enterprise bargaining agreement with the State Government,” she said.

“We have been met with significant hostility around wages and conditions for these officers.

“The events that happened in Capricornia on Thursday…if that doesn’t show the State Government the dangers and risks these workers face every day, I’m not sure what will.”

Some staff who were out on the frontline, copping abuse and threats from unruly prisoners on Thursday, are paid less than the cleaners of the prison.

“We have members running around, defending a prison in a very hostile, very scary situation for these workers, deploying gas, working in a strategic and tactical response model that are being paid less than a cleaner within the prison,” Ms Saunders said.

“They are constantly putting their lives at risk.

“Every time they go to work their life is at risk.”

DEPARTMENT RESPONDS

This publication reached out to Queensland Corrective Services with the claims in this story, which were provided by multiple prison staff sources.

QCS was unable to comment on too many of the details as “an investigation is underway into all of the circumstances surrounding the incident”.

“As that investigation is ongoing it would be premature to speculate about these events,” their response read.

“A range of chemical agents was used as necessary.

“The recent expansion of the centre means there is more than adequate capacity at the facility.

“The agreed staffing model at Capricornia Correctional Centre provides sufficient staff for the prison to be fully operational.”

Still scenes at the Capricornia Correctional Centre on Friday as the prison remains in lockdown for the clean up and investigation of the 16-hour long riot the day before.

FUND OUR PRISONS

The Together Union is calling on the State Government to fund prisons across the state, so events like Thursday’s could be avoided.

“They need to just fund our prisons,” Ms Saunders said.

“There is nothing left to cut ... there is nothing left for our members to give the State Government back, they are at their bare bones.

“Queensland also spends less per prisoner than any other state in the country, a full 18 per cent than the national average.

“Every male prison in the state is well over capacity.”