Ipswich court hears Stephan Gideon Escott’s alleged involvement in Lotus Glen prison riot

A group of broomstick-wielding inmates had to be pepper sprayed at a Queensland prison, after they broke out into a wild fight in the exercise yard, a court has heard.

Lotus Glen Correctional Centre. Picture: Marc McCormack

A court has heard fresh allegations of how six prisoners at a Queensland jail broke out into a fight in the exercise yard with mop buckets and broomsticks over their living arrangements.

One of the inmates allegedly involved had his matter mentioned in Ipswich Magistrates’ Court on September 19, 2023.

Aurukun resident Stephan Gideon Escott, 30, stands charged with one count of unlawful assembly.

Police prosecutor Senior Constable Bridie O’Shea said Escott had been one of six prisoners involved in a fight at Lotus Glen Correctional Centre on May 16, 2023.

She said Escott didn’t start the fight but had been “exchanging blows” with another inmate at one stage.

The court heard some of the prisoners involved had armed themselves with broomsticks, and Escott had been armed with a mop bucket.

Senior constable O’Shea said custodial correctional officers (CCOs) came upon the scene in the exercise yard, where they observed other inmates attempting to break up the fight.

She said the CCOs dispersed OC (pepper) spray onto the yard to stop the fight, noting the inmates‘ use of weapons.

Prisoners inside Lotus Glen Correctional Centre. Picture: Marc McCormack

Escott pleaded guilty to the unlawful assembly charge at the time of the matter’s mention, eager to have the matter finalised.

But Magistrate Rowan Silva stopped the sentence proceedings part way through due to a disagreement in the alleged facts.

Defence lawyer Paddy O’Donnell said his client instructed that the “riot” had broken out when Escott was moving cellblocks.

Escott had said he had been acting in self defence in a seven-against-two situation, Mr O’Donnell explained.

Mr Silva said that version of events was very different from the agreed facts, which contained no suggestion of Escott acting in self-defence.

He said that disagreement in facts would need to be resolved before the sentence could proceed, as it would affect the sentence he imposed.

Escott interrupted Mr Silva to say he wanted the sentence to continue, as he would be eligible for parole in November.

Mr Silva granted Escott bail on the unlawful assembly charge, so that it wouldn’t affect his prospects of release in November.

The matter was adjourned to November 13, 2023.

Originally published as Ipswich court hears Stephan Gideon Escott’s alleged involvement in Lotus Glen prison riot