A DETAINEE at Junee Correctional Centre is fighting for life after he was brutally assaulted by another inmate.
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Prison officers were forced to intervene when a brawl erupted inside a common room on Wednesday night.
A 32-year-old prisoner was rushed to Wagga Rural Referral Hospital and subsequently airlifted to St George Hospital with “severe head trauma”.
Police have launched an investigation into the attack.
A 20-year-old man believed to have been involved was treated for minor injuries and placed into segregation.
Inspector Phil Malligan said it was extremely concerning for such an attack to occur while under supervision.
“It is extremely concerning that an inmate has received such a serious injury while he is in custody,” he said.
“He (the alleged victim) is currently in intensive care in Sydney as we speak.
“An investigation will be conducted out at the jail and this will be treated no differently to any other incident.”
Corrective Services NSW (CSNSW) confirmed the incident had taken place – claiming a weapon had not been used to inflict the serious injuries.
CSNSW did not outline specific details of the altercation, but confirmed an internal investigation would be conducted into what had transpired.
“A fight occurred about 5pm on July 12 between two inmates, aged 20 and 32, in a common area of Junee Correctional Centre, in the Riverina,” a spokesperson said.
“All incidents are investigated.”
A NSW Paramedics spokesman said the 32-year-old alleged victim has suffered “severe head trauma” during the fight.
He has been admitted to an intensive care unit in Sydney and remains in a stable but serious condition.
It comes a matter of days after the prison’s operators, The GEO Group, came under immense scrutiny following an alleged security breach at Parklea Correctional Centre.
When asked if security were present at the time of the clash, police said:
“The circumstances leading up to the assault are still being investigated.”
