Alleged Darwin prison rioters may have to wait almost a year for trial, court hears

PRISONERS allegedly involved in a riot at the Darwin Correctional Centre last May are not likely to face trial until at least December, a court has heard.

The Darwin Correctional Precinct, in Holtze, was the site of a riot in May 2020 which caused extensive damage, estimated to total about $40m. Picture: Che Chorley

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PRISONERS allegedly involved in a riot at the Darwin Correctional Centre last May are not likely to face trial until at least December, a court has heard.

A total of 21 men have been charged over their alleged involvement in the riot on May 14 last year, which caused about $40m worth of damage.

One of the men allegedly involved, Jefferson Bradshaw, appeared in the Darwin Local Court yesterday, where his lawyer, Lyma Nguyen, applied for bail on his behalf.

He stands charged with a raft of offences, including damaging property in a riot, escaping lawful confinement, assaulting a worker and taking part in a riot.

Ms Nguyen said her client should be bailed as he could be behind bars for another year while he awaited trial, as was indicated by the previous judge, Richard Wallace, who heard the bail application.

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“If it doesn’t resolve he (Bradshaw) is looking at a very long time in custody,” she said.

“We could be looking at trial dates in December, or even later.”

She also said Bradshaw intended to plead not guilty to the charge of assaulting a worker, where he is accused of biting a corrections worker’s thumb.

The court heard the delay was due to an overwhelming amount of defendants and evidence. Prosecutor Rebecca Everitt said the Crown was also waiting on forensic evidence from police before the matters could proceed to trial.

She said police had to obtain DNA from “incendiary devices” and “makeshift weapons” found on the roof from the riot.

“There’s been plenty of time to have done that by now, hasn’t there?” asked Judge John Neill. “I agree your honour, and I’ve said as much to the Officer in Charge,” replied Ms Everitt.

But Judge Neill did not grant Bradshaw bail, saying his likely penalty, if found guilty, would be a lengthy prison sentence anyway.

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“It would seem to me that the potential sentence for the most serious of these charges … would be the multiples of years, not the multiples of months.”

The matter returns to court on January 27.

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