Former top cop to head prison sex taskforce into jail romps
FORMER top cop Mark Murdoch will spearhead the taskforce investigating allegations of prison sex between inmates and corrections staff, sparked by cop killer Sione Penisini’s affair with officer Amy Connors.
NSW
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THE former head of the state’s Counter Terrorism and Special Tactics Command squad will lead the taskforce investigating sexual relationships between inmates and prison officers.
The Sunday Telegraph can reveal former assistant police commissioner Mark Murdoch’s appointment comes as more staff have come forward with allegations of jailhouse affairs between colleagues and prisoners.
Mr Murdoch’s appointment comes as “around 12 staff” have contacted Corrections Minister David Elliott with information about the love tryst between cop killer Sione Penisini and prison officer Amy Connors at Kempsey jail, which triggered the investigation.
He will examine current and past allegations of inappropriate relationships and how they were reported, investigated and punished.
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The Sunday Telegraph has also been approached by whistleblowers alleging sexual relations between staff on prison grounds.
Mr Elliott revealed he would be meeting with prison officers at Kempsey tomorrow.
While public scrutiny has been focused on the actions of Corrective Services NSW, Mr Elliott took aim at prison unions for failing their members.
“Over the last week, a number of officers have contacted me to convey their disgust and disappointment over the allegations,” Mr Elliott said.
“What is also concerning is that many of these officers have told me that they feel uncomfortable raising their concerns with their union due to its culture of favouritism and nepotism.
“I receive information from a number of sources, but not once has the Public Service Association or any other union brought one of these allegations to my attention.”
Mr Murdoch, who was in charge of part of the Lindt Cafe siege operations and commander of Sydney’s Central Metropolitan Region during the Mosman collar-bomb hoax incident, was appointed to head Taskforce Themis late this week as new allegations of illicit affairs surfaced.
Among other cases to be referred to the taskforce involve a prison officer and former inmate who have since married and had a child.
The taskforce will also examine whether inmates or staff benefited materially from the relationship.
Ms Connors, who worked as a prison officer at the North Coast Correction Centre, was suspended amid revelations of her sexual relationship with Penisini. Penisini is serving 36 years for the 2002 murder of Constable Glenn McEnallay.