Queensland Prison Staff Allowed Rape Suspects to Share Cells, Ombudsman Finds

Queensland Prison Staff Allowed Rape Suspects to Share Cells, Ombudsman Finds

Corrections officers violated strict protocols by incorrectly assuming sexual assault investigations were concluded, according to state oversight report

Queensland corrections staff mistakenly permitted men facing rape charges to remain in shared cells in violation of established safety protocols, an ombudsman investigation has revealed. The oversight occurred because prison workers incorrectly believed the sexual assault cases had been "closed" and posed no security threat.

Overcrowding and Protocol Violations

The ombudsman's inspection of the Brisbane correctional centre uncovered multiple operational deficiencies at the facility, which operates at 168% of its intended design capacity. While cells are primarily intended for single occupancy, with shared accommodation only available upon prisoner request, severe overcrowding means most inmates are "doubled up" in cells.

The inspection documented troubling gaps in how Queensland prisons document and respond to sexual assault allegations, particularly regarding decisions about cell occupancy assignments. Inspectors found instances where prisoners who were vulnerable or had previously experienced alleged sexual assault from a cellmate were sharing accommodation.

Most significantly, the report identified three separate cases where prisoners accused of sexually assaulting their cellmates were subsequently allowed to share cells. In one documented case, a prisoner transferred to another correctional facility while under investigation for alleged sexual assault was later charged with raping his former cellmate. Despite these charges being noted in his file, staff at the second facility conducted a "cell sharing review" the following day and concluded there were "no apparent identified risks or factors that would prevent shared cell accommodation."

Corrections staff attributed this decision to workers "incorrectly" assuming the internal investigation had been finalized when it was merely "closed" pending police referral. Queensland Corrective Services subsequently acknowledged discovering additional instances where identical errors occurred when reviewing similar cases at the second facility.

Health and Safety Concerns

Beyond security issues, the inspection raised significant concerns about food safety and healthcare provision. Multiple staff members and prisoners reported illness after consuming undercooked chicken from the prison kitchen.

Inspectors observed that chicken wings served to staff and visitors were visibly bloody and inadequately cooked. The ombudsman noted that the facility's steam-assisted commercial cooking process did not ensure consistent temperature throughout the racks, with chicken in the middle of trays noticeably lighter in color than pieces on the edges, indicating potential food safety violations.

Healthcare facilities at the Brisbane correctional centre were deemed "not fit for purpose" by inspectors, with extensive waiting lists for prisoner medical treatment. Prison management acknowledged that the medical centre infrastructure does not support contemporary healthcare standards but cited budget constraints at the facility level. The ombudsman recommended constructing a new medical facility, a recommendation that Queensland Corrective Services declined to accept. The department stated it regularly reviews health service infrastructure capacity across all correctional facilities.