Riot breaks out at Alice Springs Correctional Centre

UPDATE: NOTORIOUS Territory murderer Matej Vanko is still on the roof of Alice Sprinsg prison following a riot that broke out Tuesday afternoon

NOTORIOUS Territory murderer Matej Vanko is still on the roof of Alice Springs prison following a riot that broke out Tuesday afternoon.

It’s understood officers lost control of G Block and eight prisoners made their way to the roof, led by Vanko.

Notorious murderer Matej Vanko. PICTURE: Supplied

Seven of the prisoners got down, wearing just their underwear, around 1am this morning.

It’s understood they left their shorts and shirts for Vanko because he was cold.

Sources say the prisoners on the roof had assaulted other prisoners in the disturbance but no guards were harmed.

One guard said that prison officers had requested that management not let the eight prisoners out to exercise because they were showing “hostility”.

“Management ignored the concern and directed officers to allow the agitated prisoners into the exercise area,” the guard said.

On Monday the NT News reported prison guards were warning a riot was imminent if a staff shortage wasn’t addressed.

A spokesman for NT Police said things were being dealt with by the Department of Correctional Services and that things were quite “calm” at the moment.

A spokesman for the Department of Correctional Services said police negotiators had been asked to assist with getting the prisoners off the roof.

“There are no weapons involved and we have no reports of injuries,” the spokesman said.

In March last year the NT News reported that murderer Matej Vanko — described as cold, calculated and callous when he was sentenced to life in 2012 was moved to Alice Springs jail after the brutal bashing of another inmate at Darwin Correctional Centre.

Vanko used a Japanese ceremonial knife in the 2012 execution-style slaying of Donald Stevens at Howard Springs.

After killing Mr Stevens, Vanko shot and stabbed his blue heeler and maltese terrier, before waiting for Mr Stevens’ sister Nolene to return home.

Vanko held Ms Stevens hostage for several hours after tying her legs and handcuffing her wrists.

During the case Crown prosector David Morters compared Vanko to other high-profile Territory prisoners, including Bradley Murdoch.

The court heard Vanko had a “poisonous” professional relationship with Ms Stevens, who was his supervisor with Serco at the Darwin immigration detention centre.

The NT News understands that Vanko “smashed both eye sockets” of another inmate at Darwin prison because he believed he was a police informant.

Former Correctional Services Commissioner Ken Middlebrook said Vanko had been moved from Darwin to Alice Springs for the “good order and security” of the prison.