Loddon Prison inmate launches court fight for better prison food
A prisoner has launched a Supreme Court battle over claims of dodgy food behind bars and demanded an apology from Loddon Prison over a “lack of variety” in his meals.
Police & Courts
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An inmate has launched a Supreme Court battle over claims of dodgy prison food as he calls for weekly choc mousse and religious meals that don’t have “dietary deficiencies”.
Paul Rodgerson has demanded an apology from Loddon Prison and its general manager Christopher Rule over what he calls a “lack of food, variety of food and kosher foods” behind bars.
The inmate has filed court action claiming his daily rations aren’t religiously sensitive, that yoghurt is often past its used-by-date and he’s constantly served pasta and potato salads he says aren’t up to scratch.
In a bid to resolve the three-month fight, Rodgerson claims to have handed the prison governor a “without prejudice offer to resolve all outstanding issues” and provided a “suggested kosher menu that would satisfy the plaintiff and other Jewish inmates’ kosher daily requirements”.
His lunch and dinner menu suggested regular prepackaged Klein’s kosher meals, bagels, soup, salad, falafels, sausage rolls, a scroll or danish on Tuesdays and “choc moose” every Sunday night.
Klein’s advertise $23 main meals including lasagne, bangers and mash, meatballs, shepherd’s pie, chicken schnitzels and Sichuan beef.
“I strongly believe that not only are select foods being provided not kosher but the minimum dietary requirements someone needs are also not being met,” he wrote to the prison.
“Could the prison please address my concerns as a matter of urgency and put in place a system that is more understanding of those inmates at Loddon Prison who are kosher.”
Kosher foods follow Jewish dietary law and must be specially prepared.
The day after receiving his menu suggestion the prison offered a suite of additional foods which Rodgerson “commented as not being satisfactory”, according to court documents.
He later received a response to his “without prejudice offer” and menu suggestion, where the prison denied any “negligence or any discriminatory conduct towards you and we reject the proposal you have made that purports to resolve these matters”.
Earlier, the prison stated: “All menus have been assessed by a dietitian and meet the daily and kosher requirements”.
In another letter attached to his court action, the Campaspe unit inmate told the prison he continued to offer his cooperation “even after I experienced unacceptable anti-discriminative behaviour by select Loddon Prison staff”.
“It is unfortunate that the prison believes that everything that has occurred against myself does not constitute negligent and discriminatory conduct,” he wrote.
Rodgerson filed his own Supreme Court writ last month where he claimed the Castlemaine jail and its general manager had breached its duty of care to him and been “negligent” in addressing his “religious dietary requirements”, leading to “physical and mental health damage”.
He is seeking damages, an apology and any other relief deemed appropriate by the court.
A Department of Justice and Community Safety spokeswoman said “people in custody are provided with meals that meet dietary requirements”.
“This includes access to meals that meet cultural dietary requirements,” she said.
“As this matter is before the courts, it would be inappropriate to comment further.”
Rodgerson, who was contacted via an email address included on court documents, didn’t respond.
Inmate’s proposed weekly menu (lunch, dinner)
Monday: 2 x sandwich, Klein’s meal
Tuesday: Kleins meal/pasta/rice, Salad/cheese bagel, scroll/danish
Wednesday: Bagel roll and yoghurt, Klein’s meal
Thursday: Soup and bagel, Klein’s meal
Friday: Salad/falafels/dips/pita, Klein’s meal
Saturday: Salad/sausage roll/yoghurt, Klein’s meal
Sunday: Salad/Frankfurt/yoghurt, Klein’s meal and “choc moose”
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