Detainee escapes a week after detention centre management takeover
A Tongan national attacked two contractors and remains on the run a week after the detention centre he was staying in was taken over by new management.
An immigration detainee stabbed an Australian Border Force contractor and assaulted another before escaping in western Sydney a week after the detention centre he was staying in was transferred to new management.
Tongan national Paea Teu, 28, was being taken from Villawood Immigration Detention Centre to Sydney Airport on Thursday about 3.40am when the incident occurred.
Police and NSW Ambulance called to James Ruse Drive in Clyde found two men – aged 36 and 54 – inside a Kia van, one with stab wounds and the other having been punched several times.
The 54-year-old suffered stab wounds to his neck and cheek, police said.
Both men – working as Australian Border Force (ABF) contractors – were transferred to hospital and police said their injuries were not believed to be serious.
“While (the detainee) was in the vehicle, he has assaulted both the driver and passenger and it allowed him to escape the car,” Detective Superintendent Simon Glasser told reporters on Thursday.
The attack came a week after the detention centre was transferred to new management.
Over the last few months, the country’s detention centres have been transitioning to the US-based private prison operator Management and Training Corporation (MTC) and its subsidiary Secure Journeys.
The $2.3bn contract was signed in late 2024 and will be in place for five years until 2029, with Secure Journeys taking over on May 8.
It is not known whether the Villawood centre had been transitioned to MTC at the time of the incident.
An MTC spokesman redirected NewsWire’s questions to the ABF due to contractual agreements.
Speaking to NewsWire, an ABF spokesman said it “does not comment on individual cases” but condemned the attack.
“Any attack on workers carrying out their jobs is abhorrent,” they said.
”The ABF supports all its staff and service providers, especially those who are subjected to abuse and assault while trying to do their jobs.”
United Workers Union Allied Industries director Godfrey Moase said since the MTC takeover, union members “raised serious issues around unsafe staffing levels at detention centres nationally”.
“We are in the process of offering support to our members at Villawood detention centre because this incident highlights the unfortunate fact workers put their lives on the line in these situations,” he said in a statement.
Mr Moase said “unsafe staffing levels” and a “complete lack” of training protocols “have the potential to create serious ongoing issues around the safety of workers and detainees”.
The escaped detainee remains on the run, with police and the dog squad searching western Sydney.
“(Police believe) he frequents the Mount Pritchard area and other areas in western Sydney,” Inspector Glasser said.
“We believe he was tracked westbound from James Ruse Drive towards Harris Park.”
The public has been warned to not approach Mr Teu and report sightings of him to police.
He is described as Pacific Islander/Maori appearance, with a tanned complexion, a large build, about 180cm tall with black hair, dark eyes and is unshaven.
Anyone with information is urged to contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.
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