Silverwater prison governor Tracey Margaret Mannix found guilty of assaulting female inmate

A magistrate has slammed a veteran prisoner governor after finding her guilty of assaulting a female inmate who was self-harming with a carrot stick at a western Sydney prison.

Silverwater prison governor Tracey Margaret Mannix leaving Burwood Local Court. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

A once-decorated prison governor has been found guilty of assaulting an inmate at a western Sydney prison – after a magistrate ruled correctional staff had omitted key details in reports to police and the court.

Former Silverwater prison governor Tracey Margaret Mannix was found guilty at Burwood Local Court on Thursday of common assault, after an inmate was found by staff self-harming in her cell on June 15, 2021.

The court heard the 56-year-old Mascot woman grabbed the 20-year-old inmate by the throat following a heated argument between the pair, which prosecutors claim breached legal limits on use of force in prisons.

In a stern denunciation of the attack, Magistrate Joy Boulos said the victim had attempted to distance herself from Mannix before the assault unfolded – even though Mannix said she was afraid for her own safety.

“This is not colonial NSW – you were in a position of power and you lost control,” Ms Boulos said.

“You broke very single rule in the book. It was not only unlawful, it was violent.

“This young woman had no chance. Yes, she was defiant and angry. But, your actions were unjustified.

“She is entitled to feel safe and secure, even as an inmate.”

Silverwater Correctional Complex. Picture: James Gourley

Ms Boulos said Mannix had to be “physically removed” by staff, who stopped the assault continuing.

The court heard evidence given by three separate correctional staff members had also been thrown out.

Ms Boulos revealed staff had failed to disclose Mannix’s actions to police after being cross examined in court.

“They chose to protect their superior over the truth,” Ms Boulos said.

“They realised it could have an adverse impact on their careers.

“Their evidence is directly contradicted by the CCTV footage, which is uncontested.”

None of the other officers are alleged to have committed any offences in relation to the assault or their evidence.

The circumstances surrounding the attack were detailed at length during a two-day hearing earlier this year.

The court heard Mannix and a team of prison staff were touring the prison’s behavioural unit when they discovered the inmate, who cannot be named for legal reasons, inserting a carrot into an open wound.

An argument broke out between Mannix – who believed she had a “special bond” with her inmates, and the prisoner after the prison system veteran slapped the carrot from the victim’s hand.

The inmate told Mannix she was a “two-faced c**t” and told her to leave, the court heard.

Giving evidence, the victim admitted to being “enraged” before Mannix arrived at the cell.

CCTV footage played in court showed the 20-year-old repeatedly punching the wall of her cell.

She claimed to have felt intimidated by Mannix, and had told her: “Don’t do what you did last time”.

Mannix, who was standing over the victim at the time, then became “red faced and angry”, the victim claimed.

Silverwater prison governor Tracey Margaret Mannix leaving Burwood Local Court. Picture: Nathan Schmidt

Conversely, Mannix claimed she feared for her own safety, and had “inadvertently” touched the inmate’s neck.

Mannix claimed the victim had threatened to “smash” her, which Ms Boulos said was not corroborated in court after the evidence of correctional staff was thrown out.

Magistrate Boulos said it “defied belief” that if she was threatened her staff would not have intervened.

“If you, the governor, were being threatened in the presence of four other officers than why did not one of them step in,” Ms Boulos told Mannix.

“On the CCTV, we can see they are standing there and they are standing there because there were never any threats made towards you. The footage is damning.”

Mannix was convicted and sentenced to a two-year community corrections order.

She was also fined $700.

In sentencing, Mannix’s lawyer said the incident was brief – lasting only one second.

The victim had also not incurred any injuries as a result.