Bullets fly as violence rocks Goulburn jail: Union bosses blame overcrowding

PRISON officers had to fire live bullets and tear gas as a fresh wave of ­violence hit Goulburn prison, with union bosses blaming crippling overcrowding.

Goulburn Prison Escape

PRISON officers had to fire live bullets and tear gas as a fresh wave of ­violence hit Goulburn prison, with union bosses and the Opposition blaming crippling overcrowding.

Five inmates began brawling in a yard at maximum security Goulburn Correctional Centre yesterday morning and prison guards, after shouting orders to stop, fired warning shots and used teargas.

“When the inmates refused to stop, staff followed normal procedure,” a Correctional Services spokesman said. “Two warning shots were fired from a tower, after which tear gas was used to stop the fight. Two inmates were taken to hospital for medical assessment. No staff were injured.”

The state’s prison population has rocketed above capacity to about 12,300, causing backlogs in courts and police stations because remand prisoners have had nowhere to go / Picture: Gary Ramage

Another brawl erupted in the afternoon between two rival groups, with one inmate suffering significant injuries requiring hospital treatment. It came after a fight at the same prison late last week.

The state’s prison population has rocketed above capacity to about 12,300, causing backlogs in courts and police stations because remand prisoners have had nowhere to go.

The crisis has been caused, in part, by a decision to close jails including Grafton and Parramatta as the prison population fell prior to 2011.

“We believe what we’re seeing with this ongoing violence is a direct ­result of the government’s failure to provide enough space and beds in the NSW prison system,” Public Services Union prison branch boss Steve McMahon said.

Opposition prisons spokesman Guy Zangari added: “Addressing overcrowding has to be a high priority for the Baird government and this latest violence is likely to be repeated until the problem is solved.”

A spokesman for Correctional Services Minister David Elliott ­declined to comment.