Prison officer bashed at Parkville after intervening in fight between a dozen inmates
Up to a dozen inmates at Parkville Youth Justice Centre covered their faces with their shirts as they rushed to join an ugly fracas that left a youth prison officer with potential face fractures.
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A youth prison officer has been hospitalised after a brawl between inmates at Parkville Youth Justice Centre yesterday.
The Herald Sun has been told up to 12 inmates were involved in the violent fracas.
A male officer was struck while breaking up the fight between a group of inmates about 2.30pm.
It is believed a number of youths rushed through a gate between two units to assault another inmate.
A source said they pulled their shirts over their heads to hide their faces as they bounded through a secure gate to the adjoining unit.
The officer rushed to the scene and was bashed, suffering potential facial fractures.
Paramedics were called to the facility to treat the officer for upper body injuries.
He was taken to hospital in a stable condition.
The assault is being investigated by police.
A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokesman said violence against prison staff would not be tolerated.
“Violent behaviour or assaults at youth justice centres are absolutely unacceptable, and the safety of staff, young people and the community is of the utmost importance,” said the spokesman.
Tough new laws have strengthened the consequences for young people who assault youth justice custodial workers, damage property, and escape or try to escape.
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The laws include a presumption inmates will serve their sentences on top of an existing period of detention.
The assault is the latest act of violence to surface from within the state’s troubled youth justice system.
The Herald Sun revealed youth inmates had launched 220 assaults on staff in Parkville in the eight months to July this year.
The incidents ranged from pushing and spitting to terrifying bashings of officers in an environment where insiders say there is no respect.