Mid-North Coast: Prison security manager transferred to Tamworth

A “coup” at the besieged NSW Correctional Centre where an officer was allegedly taken hostage and stabbed 40 times has seen staff hit out at management.

The security manager at the Mid-North Coast Correctional Centre where an officer was allegedly stabbed 40 times during a five hour hostage situation has been transferred out of the besieged facility following claims of a “staff coup”.

The move to relieve the security manager of his Mid-North Coast position — transferring him to Tamworth Correctional Facility — comes as Corrections NSW prepares to bolster the role at Kempsey Correctional Centre to two full time representatives, sources revealed.

An officer from the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre arrives at Port Macquarie base hospital after being held hostage for 5 hours by an armed inmate, Picture by Nathan Edwards

Correctives Sources told The Mid-North Coast News there were calls by staff for “heads to roll” from management at the prison, resulting in the relocation of the security manager.

Meanwhile staff also pointed fingers at Mid-North Coast Governor Majid Marashian — a specialist hostage negotiator — who worked alongside negotiators to free the officer taken hostage.

“A Security Manager was sent up as a second in the role in the days following the hostage situation,” the corrections source said. “However, last month the original security manager was moved on to Tamworth after calls from officers.

“He wasn’t the only representative of management that is being called to be removed from the Mid-North Coast centre.”

The source said Mr Marashian was still shaken over the incident.

Mid North Coast Correctional Centre near Kempsey. Pic Nathan Edwards

This month, The Mid-North Coast News revealed two inmates had been charged over the alleged five hour siege — including intention of murdering the correctional officer — as well as detaining a person in company with intent to obtain advantage; causing grievous bodily harm to law enforcement officer; take and detain in company with intent to get advantage occasioning actual bodily harm; assaulting a law enforcement officer (not police) to inflict actual bodily harm and two counts of intentionally or recklessly destroying or damaging property in company.

Police will allege that both inmates armed themselves with makeshift weapons and held the man and another corrective services officer against their will within a locked room at the corrections facility near Kempsey.

Daily Telegraph. Mid North Coast Correctional Centre near Kempsey. Pic Nathan Edwards

A Corrective Services NSW spokeswoman said the department did not comment on the circumstances of individual staff, however told NewsLocal it was “common practice for Governors and Managers of Security to be transferred between locations for operational reasons”.

“An internal review resulted in recommendations for improving training, policies and infrastructure to enhance staff capabilities and confidence in responding and managing such incidents,” she said.

the two offenders are due to reappear at Kempsey Local Court on April 21.