Prisoner charged over officer assaults

A 26-year-old man who assaulted two custodial correctional officers at Arthur Gorrie Correctional Centre on July 3 has been served with a Notice To Appear on a range of serious charges by the Corrective Services Investigation Unit.

The man will appear on September 24 to face charges of Assault Occasioning Bodily Harm (Armed), Deprivation of Liberty, Acts Intended to Cause Grievous Bodily Harm, and Wounding.

The charges carry a maximum of life imprisonment.

Commissioner Peter Martin APM today praised the two officers who were attacked for their professionalism and coolness during the assault, and their colleagues who came to their aid, quickly overpowering and restraining the prisoner.

“These officers showed remarkable composure during what was a cowardly and unprovoked attack. One officer is new to the role, and he followed his training, and trusted his colleagues to resolve the situation quickly and effectively after being held hostage, which they did.

“Every day our officers deal with the most challenging and unpredictable people in society, and we thank them for their vital public service. This incident could easily have had a tragic outcome, were it not for the professionalism and cool thinking of both this young officer and his more experienced colleagues.

“I commend the officers for their efforts during this terrible incident. I look forward to welcoming them back to work in coming weeks as they from their injuries.

“No-one should face the threat of being assaulted in the workplace, and this incident is a stark reminder of the challenges our officers in the line of duty.

“I’d also like to thank the CSIU for its prompt and thorough investigation of the incident and laying charges commensurate with this terrible attack on front line public safety officers doing their jobs,” Commissioner Martin said.