From the inside: Albany’s maximum security prison

Gangs, prison politics and injuries consistent with a car crash — today, The Advertiser takes you inside Albany Regional Prison, as seen through one week in our courts. Three separate cases came to a head in Albany’s courts within three days last week, all relating to terrifying assaults inside regional WA’s only maximum security prison, home to some of the State’s most violent criminals. The District Court was told two of the brutal beatings were linked to the Brothers for Life crime gang. Another attack put a senior Albany prison officer off work for more than five months. ‘Prison politics’ behind jail assault “Prison politics” drove an Albany maximum security prisoner to carry out a horrific unprovoked attack, leaving his victim with facial fractures that a District Court judge likened to injuries consistent with a car crash. The injuries caused to Jesse Ryan Brown by fellow inmate Bolton Ivan Vladimirovich Mamkin were so severe that authorities elected to charge the 23-year-old with an offence carrying a maximum prison term twice as long as grievous bodily harm. State Prosecutor Paul Dixon told the District Court last Wednesday that Mamkin had punched Brown four times to the head while the pair hugged in an Albany Regional Prison courtyard about 2pm on November 20. Brown was then kicked repeatedly in the head when he fell to ground. Mamkin carried out the assault on Brown because of a planned attack — linked to the Brothers for Life gang — on him, according to Mamkin’s defence counsel Elizabeth Hamilton. “As a result of the assault, Brown suffered a bilateral fracture of the jaw and an orbital fracture to his right eye socket,” Mr Dixon said. “He required surgery as a result of his injuries. “Prison officers later intercepted two letters written by the offender in which he makes full admissions to assaulting Brown.” District Court Judge Bruce Goetze said it would normally take something like a “motor vehicle crash” for someone to suffer the injuries Brown received in the attack. “We’ve been provided with a very solid piece of bone there in that position for obvious reasons, to protect our heads, and so the force you’ve used here is quite serious,” Judge Goetze told Mamkin. Mamkin had his prison JUsentence extended by three-and-a-half years. The court was told by Ms Hamilton that her clienMamkin declined to be released on parole in July and was due to be released in 2022 before having his term extended. Ms Hamilton told the court Mamkin did not understand why the attack had ended up in court, saying it was part of the “prison experience”. “He says, ‘It’s prison politics. Why did the court have to get involved? This is how we deal with things in prison’,” Ms Hamilton said. It is anticipated that Mamkin — a New Zealand national — will be deported on his release from prison. Cousins to serve more time for jail ‘gang attack’ A pair of cousins will spend more time behind bars for carrying out a “severe and savage beating” on a man they say is a Brothers for Life gang member in Albany’s maximum security prison. Jaden Sydney Anderson, 26, and Farley Todd Thompson, 24, had their sentences extended by two years by District Court Judge Bruce Goetze last Wednesday after pleading guilty to causing grievous bodily harm to Zinan Smith on October 18. Anderson — through his defence counsel Bruno Illari — told the court Smith had threatened him with a “shank” after entering his cell with four other Brothers for Life gang members on the morning of the attack. “Fortunately for Mr Anderson, Mr Thompson, who is a cousin of his, was nearby,” Mr Illari said. “And the situation diffused.” Later that day, between 10am and 10.30am, Anderson confronted one of the gang’s leaders on the prison oval. An argument between the two “descended into an exchange of blows”, according to Mr Illari. As the pair fought, nearby, Thompson punched Smith in the face “without warning” — causing him to fall — then started repeatedly punching him in the head and body, according to State prosecutor Paul Dixon. Another prisoner, who is yet to be identified, joined in and started kicking Smith as he lay on the ground. “As the victim laid on his hands and knees, the offender Anderson ran towards the victim, jumping in the air and stomping on the victim’s head with his right foot,” Mr Dixon said. Prison guards broke up the fight. Mr Illari admitted the attack was a “savage and severe beating”. Judge Goetze told the court there was “no room for any sort of vigilante behaviour in a custodial setting” after he was told Anderson was sticking up for other Aboriginal prisoners being harassed by Brothers for Life members. Before handing down his sentences, Judge Goetze described the beating as a “gang attack”. Until their new prison terms were handed down, Anderson would have been eligible for parole in June, while Thompson could have walked free in November. Assault left jail officer off work A senior prison officer was forced out of work for at least five months after being attacked by a maximum security inmate wanting medication at Albany Regional Prison. Dylan Byron Ronald Cassells, 26, pulled two of the officer’s fingers backwards and towards his mouth — causing tendon and ligament damage — after a three-person strong response team answered a nurse’s distress call, according to police prosecutor Sgt Dave Loverock. The attack happened in one of the prison’s medical units on April 1 last year. Sgt Loverock told the Albany Magistrate’s Court on Friday the officer had still not returned to work because of the injuries as of September 16 last year, when Cassells was charged by police with assaulting a public officer. Cassells was sentenced to 13 months jail by Magistrate Raelene Johnston on Friday after he pleaded guilty to two charges of assaulting a public officer, and one count each of obstructing a public officer and being armed in a way that could cause fear. The second assault on a public officer charge related to a separate incident, when a 51-year-old State Administrative Tribunal officer was left with “extensive” bruising to her head and neck. The officer was injured in an attack when she was pinned to a vehicle and repeatedly punched by Cassells at his Lower King home on May 11. Cassells’ victim had been serving him with paperwork related to a custodial matter, according to Sgt Loverock. Having previously dealt with Cassells, the 51-year-old had placed her mobile phone in her pocket while on a call with her daughter for safety. Cassells was taken back into custody after the assault, described as a “terrifying experience” for his victim by Ms Johnston. He told police at the time “it was only a slap, the b.... wouldn’t leave”. A week earlier, Cassells thrust a kitchen knife towards police through his front security door in the early hours of May 4. Officers had responded to a noise complaint at 4am. As he was sentenced on Friday, the 26-year-old laughed and pretended to smoke a cigarette via video link from Hakea prison. Ms Johnston said Cassells’ disabilities — aspergers, autism and schizophrenic disorder — affected his ability to interact with people and had reduced his sentence.