Matej Vanko pleads guilty over $27.7m Darwin prison riot

Maccas, lover’s reunions, cell swaps and visitors: Behind the demands of the Darwin prison rioters.

A notorious Territory killer serving a life sentence behind bars has admitted to “ransacking” Darwin prison during a four-hour riot in 2020.

Matej Hoi Tsing Vanko appeared in the Supreme Court in Darwin on Wednesday to plead guilty to participating in a riot and property damage across the four-hours of chaos in which three buildings were burnt.

It is understood the 11th hour plea was entered after two charges of arson were dropped, avoiding an anticipated 14-day trial.

Prosecutor Deborah Mandie told Supreme Court Justice Meredith Huntingford that Vanko was among the rioters who broke out of cells, climbed fences, set fires and damaged property across Darwin Correctional Centre, in Holtze.

Matej 'Matt' Vanko pictured with a rifle.

Ms Mandie said the spark of the unrest was a “frustrated” prisoner in Sector Six, whose request to move to another cell was ignored.

She said the prisoner used a metal table to smash through a window around 7.25pm on May 13.

Ms Mandie said the others became “agitated” seeing their fellow prisoner “running around”, and also started destroying their cells to escape.

The hallway of Sector 6 in Darwin Correctional Centre.

About an hour after the first prisoner broke out, Vanko escaped his cell.

Ms Mandie said Vanko armed with a “makeshift weapon” joined the rioters as they “ransacked and damaged” the prison, resulting in $27,710,294.94 in damages.

She said a group of male prisoners — not including Vanko — attempted to storm their way into the women’s sector of the prison but were kept back by Corrections officers.

However CCTV captured Vanko as he rammed his metal bed frame against a door, bent a security screen, and damaged two computer screens, two fire extinguishers and barbed wire.

He was among the rioters who barricaded themselves in the guard offices, then the sports and recreation complex and finally the education building.

Emergency service vehicles arrive at Darwin Correctional Precinct after a prisoners have been reported on the roof of Darwin jail after mass breakout at Holtze. Picture: Che Chorley

In all three occasions they were forced to flee their strongholds due to unknown arsonists setting fires.

Vanko was among 10 people who climbed onto the roof of the prison’s education building.

It was while on the roof that the prisoners voiced their demands and anger over the cancellation of friends and family visits.

“This is what you get for taking our visits off us,” the prisoners shouted.

“You dogs are going to get it, we are in control now.

“Let’s go. It’s f—king time. Let’s get these c—ts and f—king get up here.”

Ms Mandie said several prisoners “demanded to speak with the superintendent” while one asked to visit his girlfriend, who was also a prisoner.

“Others demanded McDonald’s takeaway,” she said.

Emergency service vehicles arrive at Darwin Correctional Precinct after a prisoners have been reported on the roof of Darwin Prison. Picture: Che Chorley

Ms Mandie said for hours Corrections staff negotiated for all of the rioters to come down.

At the time of the riot, Vanko was six years into his 23-year non-parole period for the murder of 53-year-old Donald Stevens.

In 2014 Justice Trevor Riley sentenced the “cold, calculated and callus” ex-Serco immigration detention centre guard to life in prison.

He was found guilty of taking his supervisor hostage, the execution-style killing of her brother, and shooting and stabbing his blue heeler and maltese terrier in 2012.

Despite entering the plea four years after the notorious riot, Vanko’s defence barrister Mary Chalmers maintained it was still an “early plea”.

It is understood some of the delays relate to civil action by Vanko against the NT government, with the prisoner attempting to sue for assault and false imprisonment after his treatment in the aftermath of the riot.

The Darwin Correctional Precinct, Hotlze, has been subject to a riot in 2020 causing extensive damage, estimated in the region of 40 million dollars. The Darwin Prison riot is currently undergoing review. Picture: Che Chorley

Vanko claimed he was left “feeling like a tortured animal, vulnerable, unsafe and distressed” by his treatment.

He alleged as “punishment” for the riot he was held in solitary confinement for 24 hours a day for the next three weeks and only allowed out for 15 minutes a day for the next three months.

The NT government broadly denied the allegations of mistreatment of Vanko by prison guards, saying their actions were reasonable, necessary and within the law.

Justice Meredith Huntingford adjourned the plea hearing to Friday May 17.

Originally published as Matej Vanko pleads guilty over $27.7m Darwin prison riot