Thursday 31 May 2012

Prison guards take action over colleague's sentence


CCTV footage emerged of the October 2011 incident that appeared to show the Corrective Services officer Terry Dolling repeatedly striking a prisoner who had spat at him.

The prison guard was today sentenced to seven months' jail for the assault.

The chairman of the Prison Officers Branch of the Public Service Association, Matt Bindley, told AAP the 9am (AEST) stop-work meeting tomorrow would be held to protest against the way Dolling had been treated.

He said prison guards had a tough job and needed support.

"We had an officer who was sent to jail today for something that happened in the course of his work," he said today.

Toronto Local Court Magistrate Jennifer Atkinson said while prison officers are exposed to terrible behaviour, they do not have the right to take matters into their own hands.

She said Dolling abused his position of trust when he repeatedly punched the inmate.

Dolling was sentenced to seven months jail with four months non-parole, prompting some of his colleagues to storm out of the court room.

Matt Bindley, from the prison officers vocation branch, says he is in shock.

"It was like time stood still and we were in a horror movie except the unfortunate thing about it - it was reality," he said.

"Today we're going through a terrible time and we'll stand beside our brotherhood all the way, and we'll be there for as long as he needs until this nightmare is over."

It is understood Dolling is against his colleagues going on strike, but union officials say there will be some form of state-wide industrial action.

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