WHAT: Prison officers union leaders speak to media
WHEN: 1.30pm
WHERE: 'Tree of Truth', behind NSW Parliament
WHY: Statewide strike by prison officers
Prison officers walk off job after prisoner who bashed four officers given ‘slap on the wrist’
Prison officers at Cessnock Correctional Centre have walked off the job after a prisoner who based four of their colleagues went unpunished by a controversial Magistrate yesterday and is set to be released back into the community.
Prison officers at Bathurst Correctional Centre have also walked off the job with prison officers at all of the state’s 36 prisons are likely to follow in the next few hours.
This will leave local, district and supreme courts unable to function.
Cameron Welsh bashed four prison officers earlier this year at the Cessnock Correctional Centre leaving them with sickening facial injuries.
All four prison officers here hospitalised and two will never work again.
Welsh was transferred to Goulburn High Risk Management Correctional Centre or ‘Supermax’ and isolated from other prisoners.
But yesterday a Magistrate refused to add any time to Welsh’s sentence meaning he can leave prison as early as tomorrow.
Welsh, 26, has a history of violence, in 2023 he was arrested for bashing two men with a baseball bat in the Hunter.
Prison officers in NSW are represented by the Public Service Association of NSW.
Public Service Association President Nicole Jess, herself a sworn prison officer, says it’s beggars belief Welsh has not been punished for the vicious assault on the four prison officers earlier this year.
“This tells the community it’s okay to bash prison officers, that you won’t be punished if you do and you’ll be able to return to the community,” says Ms Jess.
“In giving Mr Welsh a slap on the wrist this Magistrate has delivered a slap in the face to every prison officer in this state who keep our community safe from those who’ve forfeited their right to walk amongst us.
“Prison officers are absolutely livid about this and expect immediate action from the Minns Government.”
Public Service Association General Secretary Stewart Little says he can’t believe any Magistrate in the state would deliver such a misguided judgement.
“My phone has gone into meltdown, I’ve had prison officers ringing me all day absolutely incandescent with rage at the signal this Magistrate has sent to the community.
“The Attorney General better get himself out of whatever meeting or media opportunity or announcement he’s currently engaged in and get this solved or else the state’s prison system is going to go into meltdown.”
Contact: Tim Brunero 0405 285 547