Lance Taulapapa Talosaga: Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre attack
Gang tension at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre led to a major lockdown of the facility, it’s been revealed. And when the centre was opened back up, the racially motivated feud erupted into a vicious brawl, with an unconscious male being kicked in the head.
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Gang tension at Malmsbury Youth Justice Centre led to a vicious brawl erupting on the first day inmates were released from a major lockdown, a court has heard.
Lance Taulapapa Talosaga, one of seven men behind the savage incident, was sentenced to 40 hours’ community work when he fronted Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday, October 28.
The now 22-year-old brutally bashed one inmate before he escaped the hold of staff and kicked an unconscious inmate in the head on July 5, 2019.
The court heard the incident occurred on the first day the inmates were allowed to be together following a major lockdown caused by a dispute between “the Islanders” and “the Sudanese crew”.
The group of males were in a lounge room about 3.45pm when one ran towards another inmate and started punching him.
Taulapapa Talosaga was one of six other inmates who joined in the attack, punching the victim in the head and punching and kicking his body.
He then held the victim in a headlock as another inmate struck the victim with the hard edge of a table tennis bat.
Extra staff rushed to the room to help the three supervising employees separate the youths.
Taulapapa Talosaga was being ushered away from the scene when he suddenly rushed over to a second victim, who was lying unconscious and had been put in the recovery position, and kicked him in the head.
The entire incident, which lasted for approximately three minutes, was captured on CCTV.
One of the two victims was taken to Bendigo Hospital for a haematoma behind his ear but neither were seriously injured.
Magistrate Michelle Hodgson said there was “absolutely no excuse” for the very serious offence.
“Assaults in custody, particularly in youth detention facilities, are far too common,” she said.
Magistrate Hodgson said there was an unwarranted perception that assaults in custody were a “free pass”.
The forklift driver is already serving a County Court community corrections order for previous crimes.
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