Twenty-One Inmates Charged Over Riot at Cessnock Gaol

BY ISABEL EVERETT

Police have charged 21 inmates following investigations into a riot at Cessnock Correctional Centre earlier in the year.

Around 11.30am on April 30th, a number of inmates allegedly caused significant damage to the correctional centre, and were on the roof of the premises.

Police allege the men threatened unlawful violence towards Corrective Services NSW staff and damaged several areas of the facility, including the ceiling, doors and roof, along with items inside.

The damage is estimated to be valued at more than $130,000.

No police response was requested at the time.

In May, officers commenced an investigation into the incident, issuing Court Attendance Notices (CAN) to all 21 men – all aged between 22 and 39 – for the offences of riot and participate in criminal group.

19 of the men are due to appear at Cessnock Local Court on Thursday July 30th.

A 32-year-old man was arrested at Surry Hills Police Station and served a CAN on Wednesday July 29th.

He was refused bail to appear at Central Local Court on Thursday July 30.

A 39-year-old man was arrested at a home in Tamworth and served a CAN earlier this month.

He was refused bail and appeared at Tamworth Local Court on Friday 3 July 2020 where he was granted conditional bail to next appear at the same court on Monday 24 August 2020.

Of the 21 men;

• Nine were served a CAN at a correctional facility at Goulburn (aged 22-39)
• Six were served a CAN at a correctional facility at Cessnock (aged 24-32)
• A 24-year-old man was served a CAN at a correctional facility at Kempsey
• A 28-year-old man was served a CAN at a correctional facility at Wellington
• A 33-year-old man was served a CAN at a home in Hamilton South
• A 32-year-old man was served a CAN at a home in Gosford

BREAKING! Cessnock Prison Escapee Caught By Police

BY ISABEL EVERETT

A 30-year-old man, who escaped from a minimum-security correctional facility at Cessnock yesterday, has been arrested.

The inmate was reported missing from the facility on Lindsay Street about 11.15am on Wednesday, after reportedly taking a staff members car keys after they had been dropped on the ground on their way to work.

Around 6pm on Wednesday night  police attended Cooper Street, Cessnock after receiving information a man matching the escapee's description had been seen.

The man was arrested a short time later on King Street, with a car believed to have been used by the man seized.

He was taken to Cessnock Police Station and charged with escaping lawful custody, taking and driving conveyance, being a disqualified driver, dishonestly obtaining property by deception and resisting arrest.

He has been refused bail and will appear in Newcastle Local Court on Thursday the 16th of April.

State prison funding needed elsewhere

BY SARAH BARONOWSKI

The NSW Law Society has expressed concern with the State Government's increase in funding for NSW prisons.

Under the State's budget boost, $3.8 billion will be given to NSW prisons over the next four years.

As part of these funds, prisons will receive new beds with 620 being given to Cessnock Gaol in an attempt to cater to a rising prison population.

According to the Law Society of NSW President, Gary Ulman not enough funds are being given to the wider criminal justice system.

"Money could be better spent on alternative methods of dealing with crime," he said. "They're (the State) is not putting a lot of money into the legal system.

"What we need are more resources being put into the criminal justice system to reduce the delays in hearing criminal matters and therefore the time spent on remand, and to increase accessibility to diversionary options in appropriate circumstances."

Mr. Ulman said that while there will certainly be cases where custodial sentences are appropriate, other viable alternatives to imprisonment are still needed.

"There are many crimes committed that don't warrant custodial sentences and community service orders are a way of dealing with that," he said.

"It costs a lot of money to house a prisoner. It's a huge impost on the economy of the state."

Image: Cessnock Gaol
Source: [www.theherald.com.au]