NSW: Bashed prison officer now critical=2

AAP General News (Australia)
12-12-2006
NSW: Bashed prison officer now critical=2

Acting NSW Corrective Services Deputy Commissioner Don Rodgers said there was widespread
support for Mr Smith among his colleagues.

"We are hopeful he will improve over the day, we are being continually updated and
we have staff with him at all times to support him and his family," Mr Rodgers said.

"There's an enormous amount of support among corrective services officers across the state."

The 37-year-old man is charged with maliciously inflicting grievous bodily harm, police said.

Mr Kelly said while it was the first serious assault on a prison officer for four-and-a-half
years, he was still very concerned.

"Our statistics record is very good compared to the other states but it is a worrying
issue," Mr Kelly said.

Mr Rodgers said Corrective Services would today launch its own investigation.

It will look at what happened on the day of the alleged attack and the inmate's movements
through Junee, Lithgow and Silverwater prisons over the past 12 months, he said.

"We will not be encroaching on the criminal investigation," Mr Rodgers said.

"We will simply be looking at our processes and protocols that saw him arrive at Silverwater."

The motive for the alleged attack is believed to be the inmate's anger at an increase
in his security classification, from minimum back up to medium, Mr Rodgers said.

The inmate had previously been downgraded as he was nearing the end of his sentence
on April 25, he said.

"My understanding is that because he was reclassified from minimum to medium it would
have meant a change of location again, and obviously he got upset."

AAP sk/klw/de

KEYWORD: PRISON 2 SYDNEY (REOPENS)

2006 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.