Together Union slams QCS on death of inmate at Capricornia prison

The union claims the death of a 31-year-old prisoner was ‘absolutely foreseeable’ and took place in a well-known blindspot with no CCTV.

Capricornia Correctional Centre

As police investigate the death of an inmate following a brutal assault at a Queensland prison, the union claims it was “absolutely foreseeable” and in a well-known blindspot.

A 31-year-old inmate of the Capricornia Correctional Centre north of Rockhampton was allegedly assaulted by a gang of inmates on Saturday October 23.

His battered body was discovered by Queensland Corrective Services staff who started CPR.

He was taken to Rockhampton Hospital with serious head injuries but died the following day.

The Morning Bulletin has been told up to nine inmates were involved in the attack.

The assault is alleged to have taken place in a corridor near the toilets of the activities yard, a known blindspot with no camera surveillance.

Capricornia Correctional Centre

The Together Union, which represents corrective service workers, said blindspots are an issue they had been raising at Capricornia and across corrections facilities in Queensland for years.

“Where this incident has happened is one of the areas we have raised concerns,” assistant branch secretary Michael Thomas said.

“This assault happened in a blindspot, it was a planned assault.

“We have been raising these concerns and QCS have done nothing.

“It puts prisoners and the officers at risk.”

A planned assault is defined as when multiple people assault another, or there is a weapon involved.

Mr Thomas said reports had determined CCTV was a deterrent to planned assaults, and the latest death was “absolutely foreseeable”.

“The evidence is clear in reducing incidents,” he said.

The Crime and Corruption Commission Queensland conducted Taskforce Flaxton in 2018, examining corruption risks and actual corruption in Queensland prisons.

Mr Thomas referenced a number of recommendations from this report, which he alleges QCS still haven’t actioned four years later.

The report states “the greater use of surveillance technology, such as closed circuit television and body-worn cameras” reduces opportunities for prisoners to be mistreated.

Evidence was provided to Taskforce Flaxton that indicated many correctional centres had inadequate CCTV coverage that created what were known as blindspots.

It was recommended QCS “review closed circuit television coverage to reduce high-risk blindspots”.

“At Capricornia we have been raising blindspot issues at specific locations,” Mr Thomas said.

“Nothing has happened.”

Mr Thomas said the union had meetings with QCS on an almost monthly basis regarding Capricornia, but said he was yet to see any improvements.

“There is no indication they are doing anything significant in improving blindspots, despite ongoing incidents occurring in blindspots,” he said.

“We know it’s an extended problem.”

He said he feared it would happen again.

“While there have been some interim measures, there doesn’t seem to be an enduring change in process or facilities to stop this happening again,” he said.

Inside Capricornia Correctional Centre

This publication asked QCS if any new policies or changes had been implemented in the wake of the death, however it was unable to respond.

“For safety and security reasons, we do not disclose specific information about operational processes in correctional centres, however recent recommendations from the Queensland Industrial Relations Commission about the activities centre at Capricornia have been implemented,” a spokesman said.

The Queensland Industrial Relations Commission has confirmed this recommendation was in relation to an industrial dispute, and not in regards to the death in custody.

Mr Thomas is not confident charges would be laid in relation to the death without CCTV.

“They won’t be able to charge anyone for this guy, they cant definitively know who murdered him,” Mr Thomas said.

“If there was decent CCTV, there would be some justice.”

QCS declined to comment on the investigation.

“All deaths in custody are subject to police and coronial investigation and while that process is under way, it would be inappropriate for Queensland Corrective Services to comment further,” a spokesman said.

No charges have yet been laid.