First prison officer sentenced following CCC investigation

The 61-year-old worked at Capricornia Correctional Centre for 30 years before being charged with disclosing a confidential document.

PRISON DRAMA: Controversy brewing in Capricornia Correctional Centre.

A FORMER secure area unit manager at Capricornia Correctional Centre is the first of seven charged by the state's corruption watchdog, following an investigation into the jail, to have their matter dealt with in court.

Arthur Edward Aspinall, 61, pleaded guilty in Rockhampton Magistrates Court yesterday to one count of disclosing the existence of a confidential document to another person.

Police prosecutor Julie Marsden said in 2018 and 2019, officers from the Crime and Corruption Commission were conducting a corruption investigation in relation to allegations that Queensland Corrective Services officers were involved in corruption.

Ms Marsden said on February 15, 2019, approval was ­received to hold a closed hearing between February 25, 2019, and March 15, 2019. As part of those hearings the Crime and Corruption executive director approved nominated witnesses to provide confidential statements in relation to law enforcement investigations.

She said each of those witnesses was served with a notice to attend hearings, which stated witnesses must not disclose the existence of the notice to any other person.

On February 24, 2019, two officers attended an address in Cawarral to meet with Aspinall. Prior to the meeting, the officers activated recording devices.

The officers introduced themselves to Aspinall, confirmed he was the person named on the notice, then read the document outlining the notice was confidential and not to be disclosed to any other person. Aspinall said he understood. On March 7, Aspinall attended the CCC hearing and when questioned whether he disclosed the existence of the notice to other persons, he said he told his wife and his lawyer.

On June 11, a witness made a statement to the commission which stated Aspinall went to her residence in Norman Gardens on March 4.

She stated Aspinall appeared worried and on edge. He told the witness he had been asked by the Commission to go to Brisbane on March 7.

Aspinall said he was worried and had coffee with Capricornia Correctional Centre general manager Paula May. Ms May is not one of the seven officers charged by the Crime and Corruption Commission, nor is she facing any criminal charges.

He said he and Ms May had discussed the notices, stating the witness was on the list in the schedule on the defendant's notice but not on Ms May's.

Aspinall said a Queensland Corrective Services secure unit supervisor was on everyone's confidential notice and the Commission was chasing him big time. He then told the witness Ms May said it was good the Commission was chasing the supervisor.

He further disclosed another QCS secure unit supervisor was on the schedule and the witness was not to talk on the phone as he believed they were "bugged", and the officers were "bugged".

Investigators overviewed Aspinall's notice and Ms May's and found the information disclosed to the witness was correct.

On June 4, investigators attended Aspinall's residence and he declined to do an interview. On June 20, the witness contacted the Commission and stated she had returned home from work and found an envelope under the door. The envelope had a hand-written message on it stating: "Coffee, 4.30pm tomorrow, Parkhurst Coffee Shop, don't tell anyone, please destroy this note, Arthur".

On June 21, officers seized the letter and CCTV from the coffee shop, which revealed Aspinall was in the area at the time. He was issued with a notice to appear in October.

The court heard Aspinall had no criminal history.

Solicitor Brian McGowran said the 61-year-old grandfather had cooperated with the CCC inquiry and gave evidence.

Mr McGowran made clear Aspinall was not charged with any misconduct or corruption, only talking about the notice.

"He told me when he got the notice there were a lot of people talking about them at the jail, saying everyone's going to get fired," he said.

"As a grandfather, who has grandchildren who live with him, he was concerned because he didn't know what they wanted.

"He knew he shouldn't have discussed the notice and what he did was serious."

Mr McGowran said Aspinall, who had worked in his role at the jail since 1989, had since resigned and was unsure whether he was going to return to the workforce.

Aspinall was fined $1500. No criminal conviction was recorded.

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