Lotus Glen cons throw faeces and urine, set fires in $37’000 prison riot

Prisoners launched into a wild hour long riot, throwing faeces and urine at corrections staff, lighting fires, and destroying a kitchen after an inmate learnt his brother wouldn’t be transferred into his unit, a court has heard.

Prisoners walking at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre and inset: Clifford George Mow

Prisoners launched into a wild hour long riot, throwing faeces and urine at corrections staff, lighting fires, and destroying a kitchen after an inmate learnt his brother wouldn’t be transferred into his unit, a court has heard.

Clifford George Mow, 26, Alexander Selwyn Wilson, 23, and Phynyan Jockton Elu, 21, pleaded guilty for their roles in the riot in the Lotus Glen Correctional Facility in February, 2024 which caused $37,000 in damages.

Clifford George Mow

Elu also pleaded guilty to a single summary charge of escape from lawful custody for a separate incident when he absconded from the low security “farm” facility at Lotus collecting a package of contraband before returning.

Crown prosecutor Cristian Peters told the court the “protracted, brazen and destructive” riot was sparked by Wilson after he was told his brother would no longer be transferred into the same ward as him.

Mr Peters said the three men threw items including pieces of kitchen equipment, bottles, and faeces and urine at correctional officers and their station.

Each of the three men’s defence counsel denied the men were the ones who threw human waste at officers but acknowledged their role in the riot.

Mr Peters said Wilson played a major role.

“He was involved in the igniting of a fire near the officer station, lighting a blanket and placing it in a bin against the officer’s station, later adding pillows and mattresses and directing the flames,” he said.

The court heard the men then entered a kitchen where they destroyed fridges and other equipment and tore off fridge doors to use as “shields” against prison and SERT officers.

Mr Peters called the offending “entirely disproportionate” which would have been “terrifying” for other inmates.

Wilson and Elu were both serving sentences at the time with Mow only remanded in custody.

Lotus Glen Correctional Centre holds approximately 870 prisoners. Picture: Marc McCormack

Mr Peters said all three men had spent a significant amount of time “confined within the walls of prison”.

Speaking for Wilson, counsel James Sheridan told the court he became upset and unable to control his emotions as he had been displaced from his family in Palm Island and he wouldn’t be seeing his brother.

Aaron Dunkerton, speaking on behalf of Mow, told Judge Dean Morzone KC, “all hope was not lost for rehabilitation” and Mow wanted to be a better father for his children.

Thomas Feeny told the court Elu was naturally intelligent, “a man with a brain” who would read comic books and the Bible and had a “humble but realistic plan for the future”.

Judge Morzone said the riot damaged the kitchen, windows, televisions, and security cameras and caused flooding damage due to the suppression of the fire.

Wilson was sentenced to 17 months imprisonment on Friday, April 28 to be served after his current prison term.

Mow was sentenced to 18 months to be served after his current term.

Elu was sentenced to 16 months imprisonment for the riot and nine months for the summary escape charge.

Originally published as Lotus Glen cons throw faeces and urine, set fires in $37’000 prison riot