A Junee prisoner found unresponsive in his cell before dying on Australia Day is believed to have tested positive for COVID-19 a day earlier.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
A spokesperson for the private company that manages the Junee Correctional Centre confirmed a 47-year-old man died at the facility on January 26.
"He was found unresponsive in his cell by staff at approximately 4.20pm and pronounced deceased at approximately 4.52pm by NSW Ambulance paramedics," the GEO Group Australia spokesperson said.
The cause of the man's death has not yet been determined. However, The Daily Advertiser understands he tested positive for COVID-19 the day before his death.
READ MORE:
Corrective Services NSW and NSW Police are investigating the incident, and all deaths in custody are subject to a coronial inquest.
"GEO extends its condolences to the family and friends of the man," the spokesperson said.
There are currently about 600 active cases of the virus among the state's custodial population. Yesterday, three inmates at Junee had COVID-19, the GEO Group said.
Solicitor Zac Tankard said the Junee jail was "absolutely" facing issues with infection.
He expressed concerns about his clients facing time on remand at Junee due to an inability to protect themselves and participate in hearings for their defence.
"It's the same as any other jail in that you have people coming in from all over and some of them will have COVID and it's a matter of whether the system is good enough to control the virus," he said
The GEO spokesperson said the company was continuing to follow NSW Health advice and work with Corrective Services on COVID management protocols.
A range of measures have already been put in place, including vaccination mandates and daily rapid antigen testing for staff.
For inmates there are no in-person visits, symptomatic people are isolated and confirmed cases are transferred elsewhere for care.
Fresh custody inmates are also quarantined for 14 days before being introduced into the facility.
Mr Tankard said the jail's "hard isolation" was affecting inmates' abilities to appear in court to defend themselves and apply for bail.
"In jail, you don't have a choice about which prisoners get close to you, whereas in the community you can decide whether to go into lockdown, you can decide which actions to take to protect yourself and you can just associate with like-minded people," he said.
Yesterday, a defendant in Wagga Local Court was unable to appear due to being in lockdown at the Junee Correctional Centre.
"Subsequent restricted movement within the centre may impact some activities, including access to video visits and court appearances by video link," the GEO spokesperson said.
"GEO's priority remains the safety of all staff and inmates at the centre."
Acting chief executive of the Aboriginal Legal Service, Nadine Miles, said the service was "deeply concerned" about the spread of COVID in prisons across the state.
She said the pandemic was deteriorating standards for prisoners, who were being cut off from family visits and "denied access to rehabilitation programs".