Exclusive: Footage has captured the moment corrections officers broke up a chaotic brawl at a prison in regional NSW.
One inmate at Tamworth Correctional Centre can be seen standing his ground in front of seven other inmates, before he is attacked from behind by a ninth man.
The targeted inmate is knocked to the ground and subjected to a flurry of kicks and stomps.
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After 10 seconds, a prison officer ran into the fray and was seen trying to stop the attack.
The officer was quickly joined by a colleague, with the two attempting to drag and push the inmates away.
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The attack continued until more other prison officers arrived.
From start to finish, the 40 seconds of chaos shows a new snapshot of the dangers of working on the inside
“Without pause, our staff were straight in to protect that inmate who was going to be very seriously assaulted,” Corrections Minister Anoulack Chanthivong said.
“The bravery our officers have shown in this example goes to show how difficult the job can be.”
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The two prisoner officers who were first on the scene cannot be identified for security reasons, but they were officially honoured for their efforts.
The victim sustained only bruising and spent a night in hospital.
The eight inmates involved in the attack have been criminally charged.
They have also been transferred from a medium security prison to a maximum security ward.
“In maximum security, prisoners have less freedom, less availability to access recreation and other activities which are privileges inmates can earn,” a NSW Police spokesman sad.
The reason for the showdown remains unknown, but the images suggest it may have been pre-planned.
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