Long Bay: An inside look at one of NSW’s most notorious prisons

A prisoner has his head stomped on in the shower block, as a convicted child sex offender plays cards. The Sunday Telegraph gets an inside look at Long Bay Prison.

A prisoner – a person of interest in one of Australia’s most high profile unsolved crimes – sits alone as he lays out cards in a game of solitaire.

Above him, through the grated steel floor separating two levels of cells, the beam of the old gallows that were used to hang nine men inmates almost a century ago can be seen.

The inmate who is serving time for child sex offences watches as we walk past.

“I play every day,” he tells me, smiling.

Across the hall, another well-known convicted child sex offender – who now sports a biker moustache – stares from the doorway of his cell.

It’s a chilling welcome to Long Bay.

The high security area, at Long Bay Prison. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Inside the 100 plus year-old old heritage-listed prison are more than 620 inmates, including

some of the State’s most notorious criminals.

Killer Robin Reid and convicted sex offender Frank Abbott are here. Australia’s youngest convicted murderer who can only be referred to as “SLD” also served his sentence here before walking free on Saturday, March 15.

Former Carr government minister Eddie Obeid is also here over in the “aged and frail” Kevin Waller unit given his ailing health.

While some of the cells in the upper floors of the sandstone Malabar prison have “water views”, there are few comforts.

The cells – where prisoners are confined from 3pm until 7am the following morning – are small, dark and cramped. Most are ‘ “two out” – or shared by two male inmates.

A typical cell at Long Bay Prison. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“The tablets have helped with the boredom,” says Michael Premutico, the manager of security Long Bay’s Metropolitan Special Programs Centre (MSPC), referring to the restricted content electronic devices that were trialled during Covid.

Keeping inmates busy means they have less time to conjure up mischief. This means undertaking “program” – rehab, counselling, drug therapy, or working at one of the in-house jobs.

That’s not to say prisons are now trouble free.

A member of Long Bay’s specialist Incident Action Team – who only wants to be known as “01” – reveals a violent incident that has just occurred.

“A guy just had his head stomped on in the showers,” he says, pointing over to the bathrooms.

Over at the Special Management Area Placement (SMAP) area – where inmates at risk of being bashed by other inmates are housed – a midday muster is under way.

Inside Long Bay Prison Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

As their names are called, the inmates – many elderly child sex offenders on walkers – stroll past one by one to collect their lunch.

Today it’s chicken, lettuce, mayo sandwiches and satay peppercorn packs.

The meals have been prepared by other inmates working in the jail kitchen. There is also an on-site bakery.

Outside on the buildings are handpainted murals painted by Tim Guider – a former inmate and brother of the now dead child killer Michael Guider who was convicted over the death of nine-year-old Bondi girl Samantha Knight.

One of the murals appears to be a version of Michelangelo’s Creation of Adam – the painting looking down over the prison quadrangle.

Inmates in the high security area, at Long Bay Prison, today. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The most dangerous area of Long Bay is over at the Violent Offenders Therapeutic Program area where the worst of the worst are housed. Rapists and murderers.

Only certain prison officers are able to work here. Breaking up fights is a part of the job. gauging inmate moods is another with the officers declaring they are usually able to intervene before physical violence erupts.

Inmates exercise at Long Bay Prison Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The officers watch on as the inmates lift weights to rap music blaring from a speaker across the concrete yard surrounded by a fence with rolling barbed wire.

There is one area where we are not taken to. It appears on a map as a separately fenced compound and goes by the unremarkable name of “Special Purpose Centre”.

Witness protection inmates. Informers. Crown witnesses. These are inmates needing the highest levels of protection.

Inside Long Bay Prison Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

In contrast, the Corrective Services Industries (CSI) area looks nothing like a correctional facility. Over at the “print shop” where minimum security prisoners are making Coles “Meat, Diary, Milk” signs (for an outlet in Double Bay) and signage for Vivid, McDonalds, Taronga Zoo and JB Hi-Fi, there is a jovial but productive atmosphere.

At the “print shop” where minimum security prisoners are making Coles “Meat, Diary, Milk” signs. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The commercial arm of NSW Corrective Services works to find private sector contracts which provide employment for minimum security inmates who earn a modest salary for their work.

As most prisoners eventually being paroled, there is a strong focus on rehabilitation with work a key part of ensuring that those released can find their way back into society.

As we leave, a group of violence offenders have moved theirs into a circle for a therapy session.

Even some of them may one day walk free.

Inside Long Bay Prison Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Inmates exercise at Long Bay Prison Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

A behind the scenes look at Long Bay Prison. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The historic timer gallows, at the end of a wing, at Long Bay Prison. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

The high security area, at Long Bay Prison. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

Originally published as Long Bay: An inside look at one of NSW’s most notorious prisons