Australia : Guards told inmate 'to be in cell alone'

[Mid]

Guards told inmate 'to be in cell alone'
Thu Sep 3 2009

A deputy governor at Sydney's Long Bay prison says he's "bewildered" that a homicidal prisoner was given a cellmate, whom he killed less than an hour later.

Michael Allen Heatley had warned a psychologist that he had "homicidal urges" and wanted to kill someone, three days before he actually kicked a fellow prisoner to death.

Inmate Craig Behr, 24, died on March 24, 2006, from severe head injuries after being moved into a cell with Heatley.

The deputy governor at the time, Nigel Lloyd, told an inquest on Thursday all prison staff were made aware Heatley was to be locked up in a one-man cell.

Mr Lloyd said he was "bewildered" as to why those instructions were not carried out.

"Everybody was bewildered he was given a cellmate," he said.

"My view was that Heatley was to be locked up one out and locked up one out was lock up one out - he was to be given no cellmate.

"For some reason he was given a cellmate.

"I can't explain why staff locked someone in there."

However, when Mr Lloyd got statements from prison officers, he was told they did not know Heatley was to be locked up alone.

"They weren't aware that Heatley wasn't supposed to have a cellmate so they locked a cellmate in there."

Mr Lloyd told the inquest he had read a report by forensic psychologist Danielle Matsuo three days before Behr's death which said, "Heatley's risk of harm to others is currently assessed as high."

He said he also agreed with Ms Matsuo's assessment which stated, "There may be a degree of manipulation, (however) his past behaviour, of assaulting an officer ... demonstrates a capacity to follow through with his words without hesitation."

The Glebe Coroner's Court is examining whether corrective services officers acted reasonably in placing Heatley in a cell with another inmate.

The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Malcolm MacPherson continues.

news.ninemsn.com.au

[BobR]

Hopefully someone will lose his job and/or face criminal charges over this. There is a right to be protected from harm while in prison so long as you follow the rules and behave there. Some of these guards are just sadistic punks.

[withnallstoke]

Maybe the reason it happened was because nobody had a clue what Mr Lloyd was on about:-

"My view was that Heatley was to be locked up one out and locked up one out was lock up one out -

[BugginOut]

Me thinks Mr. Craig Behr was being forced to pay his due by someone on the corrections staff.

[kingwilly]

The Glebe Coroner's Court is examining whether corrective services officers acted reasonably in placing Heatley in a cell with another inmate.

it's in doubt ?