Tristan Cedric Roy Bateman pleads guilty to two counts of assaulting a corrective services officer

A Qld prisoner who lashed out at two prison officers, kicking them in the head, had previously witnessed a fellow prisoner get stabbed in the throat, a court heard.

Maryborough Correctional Centre.

A prisoner who lashed out at two correctional officers and kicked them both in the head during an early-morning raid has learnt his fate in court.

Tristan Cedric Roy Bateman pleaded guilty to two counts of assaulting a corrective services officer when he faced Maryborough Magistrates Court on Wednesday.

Police prosecutor Sergeant Balam Selvadurai said the incident happened at Maryborough Correctional Centre on February 17, 2025.

Bateman was a prisoner at the correctional centre at the time of the incident, Sgt Selvadurai said.

He said about 5.30am there had been a search of Bateman’s cell, with two officers told to secure the unit, which was also occupied by another prisoner.

When one of the officers tried to secure Bateman in the top bunk, he immediately struck out towards the officer with his legs, kicking him in the head and causing him to fall back.

The other officer attempted to secure Bateman’s legs when he struck out, kicking the officer in the forehead with his right heel.

The officers continued to secure Bateman with a third person attending, moving Bateman to the ground before he was handcuffed.

Sgt Selvadurai said Bateman had already spent time in pre-sentence custody.

Defence solicitor Nathan Bouchier said the incident had involved a raid on the prison cells between 5am and 6am.

He said he had seen the footage and the prisoners had been asleep in their cells.

Maryborough Correctional Centre.

“The correctional services officers dressed all in black in tactical uniform rush into the prisoners’ cells while they are still asleep,” he said.

Mr Bouchier described “lots of yelling” before the officers attempted to secure Bateman.

He said Bateman had woken up and then lashed out at the officers involved.

“That is how the offences occurred,” Mr Bouchier said.

He said there had been minimal injuries and initially one of the officers hadn’t wanted to make a complaint.

Bateman had been sent to prison for the first time when he was 19, Mr Bouchier said.

He’d had a prejudicial childhood, Mr Bouchier said, and had been diagnosed with autism spectrum when he was eight.

Bateman had attended school until Year 8 and had poor literacy.

Mr Bouchier said Bateman had been employed but lost his job after a downturn in the mining industry.

After that he turned to drugs and alcohol and he had been in and out of prison for a number of years.

He said Bateman had been exposed to a number of traumatic incidents, including one where he witnessed a fellow prisoner get stabbed in the throat.

Upon his release Bateman intended to live with and assist with the care of his grandfather, Mr Bouchier said.

Magistrate John Milburn said Bateman had spent a lot of time in custody already.

He sentenced Bateman to three months in prison for both offences, to be served concurrently.

Bateman was given immediate parole eligibility.

Originally published as Tristan Cedric Roy Bateman pleads guilty to two counts of assaulting a corrective services officer