Inmates escape NSW Prisons: Ryan Wennekes, Elika Asasi, Selim Sensoy cases revealed

A massive number of inmates in NSW prisons have escaped facilities in the last three years, with the most serious cases revealed. See the full list.

Prisons across the state have seen 18 inmates escape from their facilities in the last three years — with one on the run for more than 230 days.

New data released to the NSW Upper House revealed Glen Innes Correctional Centre saw the most escapes during the reported period with four inmates absconding from the Northern Tablelands facility.

While Goulburn Prison had the latest incident on July 15 when 29-year-old inmate Ryan Wennekes escaped and was later found waiting for a train at Goulburn Railway Station.

Pictured are inmates in separated yards at Goulburn Correctional Centre. Picture: Tim Hunter.

The new prison escapee data comes as police sources revealed the harrowing incidents surrounding Wennekes’ escape, which saw a member of the public forced to intervene after he allegedly tried to carjack a man on the Hume Highway.

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“The member of the public must have had nerves of steel,” one source said. “We understand he talked Wennekes out of the car before he fled on foot to the train station.”

Ryan Wennekes, aged 29, escaped from the facility about 1.30pm. Source - NSW Police

The 29-year-old inmate is the latest in a long list of incidents after he escaped fro the facility around 1.30pm on June 15.

“He was taken to Goulburn police station where he was charged with three offences, including inmate escape from lawful custody; attempt to unlawfully take motor vehicle with person in it; and assault with intent to take/drive motor vehicle,” a NSW Police spokeswoman said at the time.

Pictured is a Prison Officer checking on a cell at Goulburn Correctional Centre. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Another inmate, Elika Asasi from Silverwater Women’s Correctional Centre was on the run for 29 days after she and Christopher Szenczy allegedly assaulted two female officers following a medical consultation at Westmead Hospital on December 9.

Correctives sources said officers, despite being assaulted by the duo, continued the chase after Asasi slipped out of custody in handcuff and her prison uniform.

Elika Asasi, aged 27, pictured.

“They didn’t back down after being bashed,” the source said. “The officers fought to capture her following the incident but she slipped away in a car.

“It was completely set up — her accomplice knew where she would be and at what time and overpowered the female officers.”

Police located and charged the pair after finding them hauled up inside a home in Richardson Rd, Raymond Terrace a month later.

She was charged with shoplifting, stealing a car and driving unlicensed.

Silverwater Women's Correctional Centre.

However, 45-year-old Selim Sensoy, an inmate at Glen Innes Correctional Centre holds the record for the longest inmate on the run in the past three years, after he escaped the Northern Tablelands on May 23 last year.

Sensoy, who is a person of interest in his mother’s 2018 disappearance and was convicted of assaulting his sister, allegedly used a stolen tractor as his getaway vehicle.

The inmate was picked up after he was discovered hiding in a home in the Windsor CBD — almost nine months after he vanished from the correctional centre.

Selim Sensoy, age 44, was reported missing from the facility on Gwydir Highway, Glen Innes From source: https://www.facebook.com/nswpoliceforce/posts/10157919446521185

Two inmates have died following escape attempts, including 43-year-old indigenous man Dwayne Johnstone.

The inmate was shot and killed after he attempted to escape during an escort from Lismore Base Hospital following treatment.

Police outside the Lismore Base Hospital following a fatal shooting of Dwayne Johnstone.

Johnstone was wearing both hand and ankle cuffs when he was fatally shot in the back following an escape attempt around 7.30pm on March 15, 2019.

A coronial inquest, held in 2019, heard Johnstone died as a result of a single gunshot — just hours after he was refused bail at Lismore Local Court on an assault charge where it is believed he had suffered from an epileptic fit in the court cells.

Dwayne Johnstone, 43, was fatally shot by Corrective Services in Lismore.

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said nine of the escape incidents involved minimum-security inmates absconding from work and six occurred during escorts.

“The circumstances of every escape from custody are investigated by the CSNSW Investigation Branch and NSW Police,” she said.

“Since July 2015 there has been a steady decline in the number of escapes from our custody.

“It would be inappropriate to comment on matters while they are before the Coroner or the courts.”

Pictured is Goulburn Correctional Centre. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Shadow Corrections spokeswoman Tara Moriarty said she was shocked by the sheer number of cases reported to the Upper House.

“These numbers are far too high,” she said. “It indicates that there is a real problem with security in the system.

“This is a really serious issue, some of these people are quite dangerous and people are behind bars for a reason — they shouldn’t be able to wander in and out so easily.”

Ms Moriarty said the public had a right to know how often escapes occurred: “This isn’t just at one centre, it shows the system is failing across the board”.