Three female inmates in hour-long rampage inside Silverwater Jail
Three female inmates at Silverwater Jail allegedly locked themselves inside a guards’ office, causing tens of thousands of dollars worth of damage in an hour-long rampage, police allege.
NSW
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Three female inmates have allegedly caused tens of thousands of dollars damage to a jail office after locking themselves inside in a hour-long rampage.
The outbreak of violence forced a wing of Silverwater Correctional Centre into lockdown on Thursday as prison guards figured out how to control the situation.
According to police, the trio of inmates forced through the door of the guard office inside the Mum Shirl Unit and locked the door behind them. The 19-bed unit is for female inmates with mental health issues.
As panicked prison officers radioed in the Immediate Action Team — a tactical unit called in for riots and jailyard brawls – the women allegedly thrashed around inside.
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According to one insider, the inmates damaged the computers and sent emails to Channel 7 and 9 newsrooms claiming they were being held hostage. It was an hour before the IAT managed to get inside.
Officers used tear gas to end the situation but by then one inmate had climbed through a window and tried to flee.
“The inmates were safely returned to their cells … and are being assessed by medical staff,” a Corrective Services spokeswoman said.
The damage bill is about $40,000.
NSW Police are investigating but no charges have been laid.