How a quadriplegic terrorist has Long Bay jail staff spooked

A quadriplegic terrorist confined to a wheelchair has guards at Long Bay jail fearing for the security of the prison after he was caught bribing staff and seducing nurses.

Tukiterangi Lawrence has allegedly been caught trying to bribe staff, had “inappropriate” interactions and relationships with nurses and used contraband phones.

EXCLUSIVE

A quadriplegic terrorist confined to a wheelchair has led senior staff at a NSW jail to fear for the security and good order of the prison – describing his jailhouse behaviour as “manipulative” and “concerning”.

Tukiterangi Lawrence has allegedly been caught trying to bribe staff, had “inappropriate” interactions and relationships with nurses and used contraband phones – with jail bosses ordering staff not to be in his presence alone.

Documents tendered to the Supreme Court and obtained by the Telegraph have revealed staff at Long Bay Jail hold concerns over what they describe as “manipulative behaviour” with fears his “significant influence” over other crims could threaten the security of the prison, allow to him to smuggle in contraband or communicate with banned associates on the outside.

Lawrence, 26, was last year sentenced to six years behind bars for conspiring to attack Corrective Services staff against a background of “violent jihad”.

Tuki Lawrence. Photo: Supplied

While on remand for the terror charges in November 2021, he suffered serious spinal injuries during an altercation with prison staff at Goulburn notorious Supermax jail.

Those spinal injuries led him to become a quadriplegic – with very little to no movement in all four of his limbs.

After spending several months as an inpatient at the Prince of Wales Hospital spinal injuries unit, Lawrence’s bail was revoked in January 2023 and he was detained at Sydney’s Long Bay prison hospital.

While at jail hospital, orders were made to put him in segregated custody – for the safety of himself, staff and other inmates.

Despite being unable to do most things by himself, and relying on jail staff for pretty much all his daily tasks – Lawrence has been described by sources as having a “silver tongue”.

While in the spinal unit, he had an inappropriate relationship with a student nurse, and bragged about “f**king heaps of” student nurses, according to court documents.

His inappropriate behaviour continued at Long Bay Jail Hospital – where the documents claim he was engaged in “inappropriate” and “concerning” behaviour with a nurse – and repeatedly asked another for her phone number.

“When you put my razors in my room just leave your number too,” he allegedly told one female nurse at the correctional facility.

He then allegedly coaxed another inmate into asking for her number too, with the inmate saying: “Tuki said don’t forget to leave that thing in his room too.”

In documents obtained by the Telegraph, the manager of security at Long Bay Hospital Glen Piazza stated Lawrence had bribed staff – including offering to pay nurses and correctional staff $20,000 if they agreed to bring him extra food.

“In my experience working in correctional facilities, this kind of manipulation begins with requests for relatively innocuous favours, and then escalates over time,” he wrote in a briefing tendered to the court.

“I was aware the inmate had a history in engaging in this type of behaviour before he was admitted to Long Bay Correctional Centre, including when he was receiving treatment at Prince of Wales.”

Tukiterangi Lawrence was left tetraplegic after the incident in Supermax. Picture: Supplied

Books and materials believed to be contraband were also found in his cell at the jail hospital – with Mr Piazza concluding Lawrence had persuaded staff to break protocols of bringing the items into the prison.

“I was concerned (Lawrence) would use his influence to cause other inmates and or staff to sympathise with or engage in violent extremism,” Mr Piazza’s briefing read.

“I was of the opinion that it was necessary to separate him from other inmates in order to limit his ability to manipulate them in a way that could cause long term security concerns.”

Staff were ordered not to interact with Lawrence one-on-one, instead needing to be in pairs when carrying out even simple tasks – like dropping off medication, or a charger for his wheelchair.

In response to Lawrence’s slew of write-ups in the jail hospital, a protective-custody order was made – later followed by two segregated-custody orders – deeming that he should be detained in isolation from other inmates.

For three months, Lawrence was alone in a cell – until the orders ended.

While he is no longer in protective or segregated custody, he took Corrective Services to the Supreme Court this year to seek a judicial review of whether the orders were lawful, a move that could ultimately lead to him suing for damages over the privileges and freedoms that are normally provided to inmates in the general prison population.

However, in a shock move, Lawrence last week discontinued the proceedings.

It’s understood staff still hold serious concerns of Lawrence’s behaviour, which has led to at least one member resigning from their position.