Prison officer charged over alleged prisoner assault at Shortland Correctional Centre at Cessnock

New allegations have emerged about an incident which has seen a specialist prison officer suspended from work and charged over the alleged bashing of a prisoner inside a NSW jail.

A prison guard has been charged over the alleged assault of a prisoner inside Shortland Correctional Facility at Cessnock.

A specialist prison guard has been suspended from duty after allegedly kicking a prisoner multiple times during his work at the Shortland Correctional Facility at Cessnock.

Fresh allegations have emerged about the January incident involving an immediate action team officer and the prisoner which saw the 46-year-old charged with two criminal offences on Monday.

The guard, part of a team called in to manage “non-compliant” prisoners, was tasked with looking after an inmate when the alleged assault occurred in an undisclosed wing of the jail.

Corrective Services investigating unit detectives will allege that during the ensuing struggle, the prison guard kicked the prisoner multiple times.

The guard was placed on leave as soon as concerns were raised to senior jail staff within days of the alleged assault and while the investigation continued.

He was formally arrested when he arrived at Wyong police station on Monday before he was charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm and threat/cause injury/harm to prevent information to police.

He was given conditional bail to appear before Cessnock Local Court on April 3.

The guard is now currently suspended from duty.