New South Wales Commissioner of Corrective Services - Peter Severin

I do not know Mr. Severin, I have never met him.   From the media reports I have read, I believe he is a crim lover and an historical vandal who does not have an original thought in his head.

I have been told that he is from South Africa and at some stage was involved with the South Australian Prison System although I have not confirmed those facts.

My reasoning for my accusations in the first paragraph is as follows:

It was announced last week that up to 40 prisoners will be taken on picnics and shopping sprees etc with volunteers.  Dr Vinson, when he was in the same position of Commissioner of Corrective Services, tried these types of programs in the early 80’s and they were a failure then.   The only difference being, Dr Vinson had properly trained Prison Officers to escort the prisoners, not untrained, “cheap labour” volunteers.

The whole system is open to corruption or at best the perception of corruption.   Who is going to select the 40 prisoners?   That person will definitely be open to approaches of corruption by prisoners or their families and friends, who will be borderline candidates for selection.   What about other prisoners who meet the criteria and are not selected and the discontentment that will create.

As far as the volunteers are concerned, they will be of the “bleeding heart” variety and their connection with criminals will create severe problems within their own families.   This is not new.   Once again, in Dr. Vinson’s time, volunteers were involved in prisoner programs and more than one volunteer’s family had been broken up as a result.

My own female cousin had left her husband after volunteering in a program at Parramatta Gaol and became involved with a very dangerous armed robber.   Not long after the prisoner’s release, he severed the relationship with her.   These situations always result in an unhappy ending.

There is no evidence to support these programs have any effect on the rehabilitation of prisoners, in fact without scientific evidence, I believe these types of programs make gaol a more attractive proposition to commit an offence as there is no deterrent in being sent to prison.

I most strongly believe that the silent majority of the public do not want their prisoners treated with kid gloves, fattened on T bone steaks and kept in conditions better than most aged pensioners.   They do however want their prisoners to be treated humanely with adequate diets, be offered programs scientifically approved to assist rehabilitation where possible and retribution with sound outcomes for the victims and families.

Mr. Severin also announced in the last few weeks the sale and closure of the Long Bay Prison Complex.   The Long Bay Prison Complex dates back to 1901 and carries with it a large slice of Australian history of more than 115 years.   There is nothing new concerning greedy developers seeking the valuable land that the Long Bay Prison Complex sits on.   That has been going on since before I became a Prison Officer in 1971.   No doubt the acquisition of the Complex has been an easy decision for the Department and the New South Wales Government following decades of mismanagement of public taxes in their efforts to keep abreast of the never ending requirement to maintain infrastructure in the sprawling Sydney area to which they have all failed.

New South Wales was the first penal settlement in Australia when Captain Arthur Phillip set foot on land in 1788 with the first ships loaded with convicts from mother England.   The last convict ship, the Hougoumont, left Britain in 1867 and arrived in Western Australia on 10th January 1868.   In all, about 164,000 convicts were transported to the Australian colonies between 1788 and 1868 on board 806 ships.

Selling the Long Bay Prison Complex can be described as nothing less than disgraceful and historical vandalism.   All those involved in the decision to sell such an historical complex should hang their heads in shame until the day they die.   To my mind the Commissioner Mr Severin is a do-gooder and panders only to the crim lovers and the bleeding heart brigade.   He should resign from this most distinguished position or be sacked by the New South Wales Government.

Let’s turn the clock back and make gaols a place to be feared and not a holiday haven, and in doing so prevent people with borderline criminal persuasions and to remain law abiding citizens that the public demand.

This I believe
Peter T Egge

You can read more about my thoughts on these matters and true stories to back them up in all my books, especially my latest being Cutting the Bars – Volume 3.

My new book is now out

Volume three of Cutting The Bars is now out and is $3 

To get your copy,  - Click Here

Good News

Cutting the Bars - Volume 3 should be ready for release some time over the next few weeks.   It is full of exciting, true stories involving real Prison Officers and real criminals.   You will be able to read the true backgrounds behind each one.   There are some great photographs and also great sketches by the very talented Robert A. Wood.

I believe this to be my best book yet, but unfortunately it will be my last based on the New South Wales Prison system in the 1970's and 1980's.

If you haven't caught up with Volumes 1 and 2 of Cutting the Bars, may I suggest that you download a copy to read prior to the release of Volume 3.

Hope everyone enjoys them.
Peter T Egge

RIOT IN THE CENTRAL INDUSTRIAL PRISON, LONG BAY, ON 23RD AUGUST 1978

On 23rd August 1978, Stan Morgan was the Acting Superintendent in the Central Industrial Prison at Long Bay Gaol.   It is fair to say that he was an old man nearing retirement.  He lacked general duties experience having spent most of his career driving trucks for the stores at Parramatta Gaol.

The executive staff received information that the prisoners were going to riot.   Frank (Karate Jack) Hutchen was Deputy Superintendent and had organised the implementation of an evacuation plan, should this occur.

When the prisoners began to riot, Mr. Morgan hesitated when it came to making decisions and failed to take corrective action, preferring to wait for the Commission, Dr. Tony Vincent, to arrive in order to take control.

In doing so Mr. Morgan began to show signs of experiencing a heart attack to which Mr. Hutchen suggested he go home, leaving him to take control.

Read my book "Cutting the Bars - Volume 1" to find out the dramatic ending to this story.

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK

“IT’S ALL IN THE FALL”

THE MORGUE – GRUESOME TRAINING

It fell to me to take the trainees to the Morgue and the Coroner’s Court every four weeks. I always enjoyed the outing as I continually learned so much about the human body and I always found it educational and fascinating. The professor would carry out an autopsy and give a running commentary as he proceeded with his necessary work. I had come to know him quite well and sometimes, to break the tension, he would say, “Mr Egge, would you like to carry out the autopsy today? “You know as much as I do now”.  I would just smile and say “No thank you Professor, I’m not suitably dressed for it today”.  All the students would look at me quizzically, not knowing whether I could actually perform an autopsy or not.

It was a great idea to take the young Officers to the morgue.  All Prison Officers have to deal with deaths in custody sooner or later during their career. I found it amazing the number of people that have never seen a dead body.  I know that up until I joined the Department of Corrective Services I too had never seen a deceased person. I was always pleased to see that all bodies in the morgue were treated with the utmost respect.

PETER TURTON - JP

Mr Turton applied to become a Justice of the Peace. He had to be sworn in so I arranged to have the Coroner swear him in.  Mr Turton came in the bus with the trainees and me.  We observed an autopsy first.  During the autopsy the professor was showing us that the lady had died from pneumonia and squeezed some puss out of the ladies lungs which landed in Mr Turton’s eye.  Everyone was scrambling to help Mr Turton however I could hardly stand up with laughter.

I took the class and Mr Turton into the Coroner’s Court. The Coroner gave a great speech saying his job was always about death and sadness and what a good change for him to swear Mr Turton in as a Justice of the Peace. The Coroner asked every person in the court to be up standing as Mr Turton took the oath.  All my trainees stood to attention with their caps under their arm, it was simply brilliant.

I LOVED A GOOD JOKE

At lunch time two trainee Officers came into my office and said, “We heard you like a good joke Mr Egge”. I replied “Well that depends”. They continued on, “We have a piece of liver from the cafeteria and we are going to put it under an Officer’s hat, could you say they are missing some body parts from the morgue?” I loved this idea as they told me who the Officer was and where he was sitting”.

After lunch I walked into the class room with my war face on and said, “I have just received a phone call from the Morgue and it appears that somebody from this room has stolen body parts.  “Whoever it is please step forward now”.v Naturally there was no reply. I raised my voice and said, “Be a man step forward now and all that will happen to you is you will get the sack, if you don’t step forward now I will call the Police and you will be charged and sent to gaol where you will be fucked by ten men every day.

By now I was really playing the part.  As expected no one had stepped forward so I began to look around the class room for evidence, turning their hats over as I walked around.  As I came to the Officer concerned, I flipped his hat over and said “What’s this?” The look on the Officer’s face was priceless.  He was so shocked he simply couldn’t speak.  He thought he was getting the sack and going to gaol all in one fowl swoop. I couldn’t in all conscience keep the poor beggar holding on for long.

EMAILS:

“CUTTING THE BARS – VOLUME 2”

I am beginning to receive emails with feedback in regards to Cutting the Bars – Volume 2.   Although it has only been available for a short time, the feedback so far is very positive.   I would like to share with you one in particular from a young lady who has emailed me previously in regards to my first book, “It’s all in the Fall”.


Hello Peter,

I just wanted to drop you a quick email to say how much I enjoyed your last 2 books. Very insightful and at the same time disturbing.


I strongly think that everyone should read these books so that people can get their heads out of the sand in regards to the evil that some people are. I certainly encourage people to read your books.


I don't see how people in jail really have room for complaint, if you didn't break the law you wouldn't be there.. it is quite a simple lesson that seems to allude many people!


Anyway – thank you again for your time in putting these together and I look forward to the next in 2016.

Thank you for all the emails I have received.   I do reply to each of them personally.    Feel free to email me at   petertegge@gmail.com


Peter Egge

CRUMP AND BAKER – AUSTRALIAS WORST THRILL KILLERS

EXTRACT FROM MY BOOK 

“CUTTING THE BARS – VOLUME 2”

My Brother’s Story
I was discussing this case with my brother Phillip recently, when he told me this little story concerning Kevin Gary Crump and Allan Baker.

Laurie Rawlings was the Night Senior on the “C” watch, (afternoon shift), in the Metropolitan Reception Prison (MRP), after Crump and Baker had been arrested and were attending trial.    Mr Rawlings was a really nice bloke, always smiling and loved a bit of fun and Gaol gossip, as did I.   He was one of the real characters of the Long Bay prison complex and a Night Senior with whom most of the prison officers enjoyed working.   He was a down to earth, all round very decent type of bloke.

My brother Phillip was relatively new to the job and was working on the circle with the “heavy”, whose name he could not recall, however for the sake of the story we will call him Mr Neville, (just a classic case of seeing the face but can’t remember the name).  Crump and Baker had returned from court and were escorted back to 9 Wing where they were to pick up their meal and be locked in their cell for the night.   In the early 1970’s, 9 Wing was strictly for “protection prisoners” and “non associates”, a terminology used mainly for transsexuals.   Crump and Baker’s meals had already been saturated with spit from the wing sweepers which was a common occurrence for prisoners who had committed heinous crimes against women or children, most especially child sex offenders who were commonly referred to as “rock spiders”.   Before the meals could be issued, Mr Rawlings said, “These meals are too hot for these prisoners”, and promptly picked them up and put them out in the rain for a few minutes.

Crump and Baker were handed their meals and placed in their cells.  Mr Neville and my brother Phillip went to the cell where Mr Neville ordered Crump and Baker to, “Get up and face the back wall”.   Phillip told me, “Mr Neville spat on Crump and Baker and so did I.   “As we walked out of the wing, Mr Neville turned to me and said ‘I’ve never spat on a man before in my life’.   Phillip replied to Mr Neville, “Neither have I, so don’t worry about it”.

You may well be entitled to ask what would make three normally very decent men do what they did to these two prisoners, risking the chance of disciplinary action being taken against them.   Had they done the same in today’s prison system, their actions would most certainly result in instant dismissal.

This type of behaviour from officers and prisoners alike towards Crump and Baker was not an isolated incident, remembering it was the early 1970’s.   Although I do not condone what these three officers did, or any others who may have carried out similar actions, I fully understand their motivation.  Kevin Crump and Allan Baker committed the worst crimes against a human being that I have ever heard of, and I believe the most insidious crimes ever carried out in Australian history.  These two men must be kept in the highest security conditions the state of New South Wales can offer, and never be release from gaol, regardless of any circumstances that may arise in the future.  They must die in prison and should be buried face down, in an unmarked grave.

To find out the entire confronting story of these two “butchers”, who in my mind committed Australia’s worst crime against another human being in the country’s criminal history, read pages 19 to 29 of “Cutting the Bars – Volume 2”.