Terrence Walker tells corruption inquiry guards needed to ‘clean the mess up’ after prisoner was injured at Lithgow in 2014

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

A former New South Wales prison officer admits he lied in official reports to cover up the alleged bashing of an inmate, fearing it would “come back to bite us in the arse”.

Terrence Walker, who resigned as a senior prison officer in 2017, on Monday told a corruption inquiry guards needed to “clean the mess up” after the man suffered injuries in his cell at the Lithgow correctional centre in February 2014.

Prison officers are accused of using unwarranted force on the man before deleting CCTV footage and planting drugs to justify a search of his cell.



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The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption inquiry heard the victim, a bikie gang associate who cannot be identified for legal reasons, had been abusive on an intercom while complaining of not having television in segregation.

He then received a visit from a specially trained team known by inmates as “the squad” or “the ninja turtles” and claimed to have been bashed, suffering a black eye, bruising around his mouth and a rib injury.

An official report claimed the man “tripped over cell furniture and fell heavily on the toilet” while trying to flush an unidentified object.

Icac investigates prison officers who allegedly tried to cover up 'unwarranted' use of force Read more

Walker told the inquiry on Monday the man “lunged” at him and he was forced to strike with an open palm before containing the prisoner at the back of the cell.

When asked if he saw the man try to flush anything at any stage, Walker replied: “No, that was a fabricated lie.” He later added: “That report is all lies.”

Walker alleges he colluded with the manager of security, Brad Peebles, and the intel manager, Brian McMurtrie, about what to write in the document. He alleged the trio lied to “make things look good and clean the mess up”.

Peebles and McMurtrie are yet to give evidence to the corruption inquiry.

Peebles allegedly claimed the fabrication was necessary because “this one will come back to bite us on the arse”, according to Walker.

The inquiry, before commissioner Stephen Rushton SC, continues.