Australasian Biker News
Bikies in violent prison clashes
Article from: Sunday Mail (SA)
NIGEL HUNT
June 15, 2008 12:30am
TWO violent clashes involving rival bikie gang members in Yatala Labour
Prison has prompted an emergency meeting between police and Correctional
Services.
The meeting was called following the incidents during the past fortnight
– a serious stabbing and a bashing – and amid fears the increasing
number of bikies being arrested will result in more tensions in SA
prisons.
Correctional Services is seeking intelligence from police on gang
members and associates to enable prison managers to prevent clashes
between rival gang members by housing them in different areas.
Prison bikies: PDF file of who did what
Correctional Services chief executive officer Peter Severin said
yesterday several strategies were being examined to ensure the problem
did not escalate.
"We are certainly very concerned at the increased number of gang members
– not necessarily bikies – and their associates coming into the prison
system," he said.
"We need to be very proactive in identifying early any incompatibility
issues. We are also looking at management strategies to ensure we keep
incompatible groups of people apart in the prison system.
"While it is not a systemic problem, it is certainly clear there is a
marked increase."
Mr Severin confirmed his officers were examining improving information
exchange with police, saying intelligence on gang recruiting and
associations formed between existing gang members and other criminals
inside prisons could also assist police.
He said he would soon meet senior police to see what else could be done
to improve the management of prisoners who were "potentially" going to
be difficult within the system.
Police sources said Wednesday's meeting involved officers from the Crime
Gangs Task Force, the Police Corrections Section and the Correctional
Services investigation and intelligence section.
The two violent incidents in Yatala involved full members of the Hells
Angels and Rebels, a Finks associate and a former Hells Angels nominee.
In the most serious incident, the Rebels member, who cannot be
identified because of a suppression order, was stabbed in the head by a
Finks associate.
Yatala sources said the Rebel suffered several knife wounds to his head
after being attacked in B Division on June 4.
He was taken to Modbury Hospital for emergency treatment, but returned
to Yatala the same day.
The Finks associate, who has an extensive criminal history of violent
offending, allegedly made the makeshift knife in a prison workshop.
On May 30, a high-ranking Hells Angels member was involved in a violent
brawl with a former gang nominee.
The bikie had been transferred to Yatala from the Adelaide Remand Centre
the same day.
The fight, which occurred in a gym in E Division, also involved several
other prisoners who have become aligned with the Hells Angels member.
Sources said the well-known Hells Angels member was attacked by the
former nominee as part of an ongoing feud between the two men linked to
their activities.
While detectives from the Police Corrections Section have investigated
both incidents, no one has been charged because of a lack of
co-operation from those involved and other witnesses.
The two incidents followed a Finks-sanctioned slashing in the Adelaide
Remand Centre in March that almost claimed the life of another prisoner.
The growing violence has sparked concern among Yatala prison officers
who believe it is "just a matter of time" before there is a major
gang-related incident.
"These guys play for keeps and it is now abundantly clear they are
bringing their feuds into the prison," one senior officer, who declined
to be identified, said.
"Unfortunately, we are the meat in the sandwich and have to deal with
it."