RIOT- CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL PRISON (CIP) LONG BAY 22nd AUGUST 1978

Generally speaking there are three ingredients to all riots, Prison Officers working excessive overtime, the prisoner population being overcrowded and hot weather. This riot was to be no different.   The Prison population and to some extent the Prison Officers themselves, were becoming anxious following the release of the Nagel Royal Commission  into New South Wales Prisons report in April, just four months earlier. 

The Prison System had been in turmoil from early 1974.  There had been riots at Long Bay, Parramatta, Maitland and Goulburn Gaols.   In addition Bathurst Gaol had been burnt to the ground in February 1974 which caused the formation of the Royal Commission. 

The Executive staff had received information from an informant two days prior, that the crims would riot on 22nd of August.  Stan Morgan was the Acting Superintendent on that day and his Deputy Superintendent was Frank “Karate Jack” Hutchen.  Mr Morgan was a lovely man but lacked the fortitude to make a decision.   He had spent well over 20 years driving a truck at Parramatta Gaol and badly lacked Gaol experience and as a result lacked the ability to make those difficult and sometimes challenging decisions that Superintendents of Maximum Security Gaols are required to make.  

Mr Hutchen had placed two Officers above the CIP gate.   He had fully armed and double maned the Towers for enhanced security and control in case of a riot as well as preventing an escape should the riot be a ploy to distract Prison staff away from a possible escape exit, as well as the protection of the Officers.  He had also put into place an escape plan for the Officers to evacuate the Gaol safely which included leaving some vital gates unlocked to allow quick access.

At 11.04 hours on 22nd August 1978 the CIP erupted.   The Prison Officers ran for their lives as the prisoners took control of the inside of the CIP.  The noise was deafening as several crims climbed onto the Wing rooves, with most remaining on the ground lighting small fires and arming themselves with iron bars, pieces of wood, in fact anything they could get their hands on.  The do-gooders had put brick flower beds in front of 3 and 4 Wings to ensure the crims had plenty on ammunition to throw at the Officers.

About 80 Officers had gathered outside the CIP gate all geared up in riot gear, with batons, shields, gas masks and overalls if you could get a pair.  The Officers were lined up in four rows.  The tension was enormous.  The Officers simply wanted to retake the Gaol and put it under the control of the Prison administration once more.  To do that someone had to give the order.

To find out more about this true and devastating riot, read my eBook Cutting the Bars – Volume 1, available on Amazon.

The cleanup, the day after the riot in the Central Industrial Prison

Frank Hutchen in the foreground, extreme right

JOHN DOYLE – RIP

I was saddened to read in my recent copy of the Public Service Association of New South Wales gazette “Red Tape” that John Doyle had passed away at home on Saturday 1st April 2017 at the very young age of 67.

I first met John long before I became a Prison Officer in 1971.   In the late 60s I was playing drums in a band called the “Sheer Delight” around the Newcastle/Williamtown/Nelsons Bay area.  We had a large following of local young people at the time and John was one of them.  He told me years later that he had become a musician and had a band of his own purely because he was inspired by my band.  He also specifically enjoyed my band’s rendition of the old Shadows classic “Apache”.

John followed me into the prisons in January 1973, some 20 months after me.  John was a very staunch and loyal Prison Officer with a great grasp on summing up and dealing with difficult situations.  He led by example.  He showed genuine concern for the welfare and conditions of his fellow Prison Officers.  He became an active Union member and he was at one stage the Chairman of the POVB (Prison Officers’ Vocational Branch).

John never indicated to me whether I was an influence on him becoming a Prison Officer or not.  I would like to think that I did factor into his decision.

Last time I saw John was at the court case for Geoff Pearce and we had a long and meaningful discussion there.

You can read about Geoff Pearce’s horrific case in my latest book, “Australia’s Best Prison Stories”, available from Amazon.

John reached the exalted rank of Deputy Superintendent.  To put in more simple words, he was just a good, decent, all round person that you would be pleased to call your friend.

My thoughts go to his family and friends at this time.

This I believe.

Peter T. Egge

Christopher Lorenzo – Woodham’s dog!

In the early 1980s, Ron (Rotten Ron) Woodham was promoted to Superintendent of Internal Investigations of the NSW Department of Corrective Services, a powerful position that could well be said, he created for himself.

During his period of influence as the Superintendent of the Internal Investigations Unit, he gathered a large pack of “dogs” (prisoner informants), as a so called source of information.  Christopher Lorenzo was one of Woodhan’s pack leaders.

During the 1970s, most Prison Officers gleaned information from prisoners from time to time.  We all kept the identity of the informant secret.  There were many reasons for prisoners to pass on information, mostly for revenge, or another prisoner trying to muscle in on their area, eg one prisoner may be trying to overthrow the bookmaker in the prison wing.  Regardless, there was no direct reward for passing the information on to the prison authorities and the identities were never disclosed, a fact that Woodham was less careful with, often placing his “dog” (informant) in danger.

Woodham’s dogs however were different.  For the best part, they were all heroin addicts.  They would sell their own Grandmother’s soul for a benefit to themselves.   You don’t have to go far to see the paybacks that were given to the prisoners in Woodham’s “dog kennel”.   I would suggest that you take the time to read the ICAC Report on Investigation into the Use of Informers, Volume 1 and 2, January 1993, to realise how these prisoners were manipulated or they manipulated the system, to gain a vast array of privileges ranging from conjugal visits to early release in return for giving evidence against fellow prisoners and also Prison Officers.

Of course this evidence was extremely dubious, dangerous and unsafe at law.  The ICAC Report clearly found that the practice was unacceptable and recommended its immediate discontinuation.

Christopher Lorenzo was placed on protection at Berrima Gaol in 1987.  Protection prisoners are as a general rule hated by all other prisoners and most Prison Officers.

Whilst Lorenzo was at Berrima Gaol, I observed his girlfriend arguing with Andrew Tregurtha, a prisoner serving a life sentence for the insidious murders of Greek Consulate, Constantine Giannaris and school teacher Peter Parkes.  This argument took place between the bars at the visiting section and the Gaol proper.  Tregurtha was locked up by Assistant Superintendent Gardener immediately following the argument with Lorenzo’s girlfriend, not because of the argument but rather at Tregurtha’s own request.

The following morning sadly, Andrew Tregurtha, at that time only 22 years of age, was found hung in his cell by a young Prison Officer.  I took the weight and held Tregurtha while Alan Pitt cut the cord from above his head and we both placed him on his bed for the Police.  It was obvious to me that he had been dead for several hours, possibly not long after he had been locked in his cell after the argument with Lorenzo’s girlfriend, a pertinent point that was never investigated by the Police or the sitting Coroner.

Following his release, Lorenzo was later charged with murder and sentenced accordingly.  It was not uncommon for Woodham’s “dogs” to continue on their careers as criminals.  In Woodham’s case, the old adage applies, “If you lie down with dogs, you get up with fleas”!

I have been informed that Lorenzo died at the Prince of Wales Hospital on 9th January 2011.  I can assure you that the only people grieving over his death would be his immediate family.

You can read more about my dealings with Christopher Lorenzo in my best selling eBook, “It’s All in the Fall”, available through Amazon.

This I believe.
Peter Egge