Brawling Lionel Patea being moved to notorious prison because he’s ‘a danger to other prisoners’
WOMAN killer Lionel Patea is being moved to a notorious Queensland prison because he’s getting into too many fights. Labelled a ‘danger to other prisoners’, Tara Brown’s killer is appealing against the move because he fears for his safety.
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WOMAN killer Lionel Patea is being moved to a notorious prison in north Queensland because he is getting into too many fights.
The ex-bikie enforcer — last year sentenced to life in jail for bludgeoning former girlfriend Tara Brown to death in September 2015 — will moved from the Maryborough Correctional Facility to Lotus Glen in the Cairns tablelands because he is a “danger to other prisoners”.
The decision caught him by surprise as he was told by a prison guard.
Patea’s long-time lawyer Campbell MacCallum, of Moloney MacCallum Abdelshahied Lawyers, said he was appealing the decision amid fears for his safety.
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“We are fearful that there will be specific retribution due to the nature of his crimes,” said
Mr MacCallum, who has written to the general manager of Maryborough Correctional Facility asking for an explanation.
Patea was earning about $250,000 a year as a standover man and collector for the Bandidos bikie gang prior to being incarcerated.
He had been in the outlaw motorcycle club since his late teens and rose quickly through the ranks due to his “propensity for violence”.
Lotus Glen houses some of Queensland’s toughest criminals as well as those of lower risk who are allowed to work at the centre’s farm.
A majority of the prison’s population is made up of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders.
It is not the first time Patea has been in trouble in prison, in July 2016 he was charged with grievous bodily harm for pouring boiling water over a man he believed to be paedophile in jail.
Six months later, he was struggling in prison with weekly visits from a psychologist to deal with ongoing mental health issues.
Prior to being sentenced, he spent seven months in solitary confinement after a series of run-ins with prison guards at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Facility.
Patea converted to Islam in March last year to “rehabilitate” himself after the murder of Ms Brown.
During sentencing for the brutal killing, Patea asked to be “ultimately judged by God”.
The move will also take Patea further away from his brother Nelson who is incarcerated in Brisbane waiting trial for the alleged murder of Gold Coast dad Greg Dufty.
“Prisoners are regularly transferred between centres,” she said.
“This is not an unusual occurrence. QCS ensures that the safety and security of staff, prisoners and the correctional centre environment is its priority.”
It is understood the move is expected to happen next week.
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