A man who took part in a riot at the Ravenhall Correctional Centre in 2015 had his sentence extended by 18 months in the County Court recently.
Van Tung Nguyen, who is serving five years for trafficking a commercial quantity of methamphetamine and a number of firearm offences, would have been eligible for parole in June this year if not for his role in the riot which caused nearly $20 million in damages to the facility and has been described as the biggest in Victoria’s correctional history.
The genesis of the riot was a no-smoking policy which was to begin in all Victorian prisons on July 1, 2015. It had been the subject of peaceful protests in the lead-up to the date.
The court heard that at 11.40am on June 30, about 120 prisoners gathered near the intersection of three yards at the Ravenhall centre, chanting for tobacco. The prisoners kicked and pulled down fences separating the yards, forcing prison management to withdraw all staff from the area.
Nguyen helped to breach one of the fences at noon. He was seen on CCTV soon after helping other rioters to break through the gate into the central movement control (CMC) area.
Over the next four hours, footage showed Nguyen discharging a fire hose around the yard, destroying cameras, breaking up rocks that were thrown at police officers and aiding other prisoners in the riot.
The final footage of Nguyen
was at 4.43pm but the riot continued
until 11pm. Nguyen pleaded guilty to participating in the riot.
In her sentencing remarks, Judge Lisa Hannan said that the seriousness of the riot necessitated a strong response.
“Globally, this was a serious example of this offence, having regard to the level of threat and violence and the fear created, the scale of destruction, the setting and the fact that you acted against law enforcement personnel seeking to discharge their duties,” Judge Hannan said.
“I accept that you were not engaged in planning or organisation of the riot, nor were you directing others what to do, but you were, in my view, from an early stage … an enthusiastic participant.
“What is clear is that this offending had both acute and long-term consequences upon many of the victims who describe being terrified, traumatised, frightened. Many have sought professional assistance, others have ongoing physical symptoms which have rippled throughout their lives in terms of both their work and their personal lives.”
Judge Hannan sentenced Nguyen to 18 months imprisonment, with nine months to be served cumulatively upon his previous sentence.
