Prisoners riot at Sando Courts

VIOLENCE and mayhem broke out at the cell block of the San Fernando Magistrates’ Court yesterday afternoon as a group of about 65 Remand Yard prisoners started shouting, throwing faeces and smashing fixtures in the cells, resulting in police struggling to restore order and leaving at least one prisoner hospitalised with minor injuries. Newsday understands that the riot broke out after prisoners started complaining of bad treatment meted out to them by members of the Court and Process Branch. After smashing lighting fixtures and pieces of wood from the walls and ceilings of the cell block, some of the prisoners used the wire and wood to secure the cell doors and prevent police from entering the cells to restore order.

Eventually the San Fernando Fire Services were summoned to assist police in breaking down the prisoners’ makeshift wood and wire “locks”. Firemen were also seen hosing down the floor and walls of the cell block which was coated with blood and human faeces. Surprisingly, operations at the Court were not affected since a major part of the disruptions occurred in the late afternoon and only six prisoners of the 102 Remand Prisoners were actually taken before the Courts. According to police reports, around 10.30 am yesterday many prisoners started behaving in a disorderly manner, shouting loudly, smashing lights and even throwing food around the cells. Newsday received a report that the prisoners even took water from pails placed for their use in the cell and threw it at the police who came to see what was going on. Reports also stated that some of the inmates excreted inside papers and threw the smelly missiles at the police officers. Later on in the afternoon, around 2.30 pm,  the Fire Services were called in to break down the barriers placed by the prisoners. Sources told Newsday that when the cell doors were opened, about six prisoners lunged at the policemen, forcing the firemen to douse the prisoners with blasts of water in an effort to restrain and prevent them from trying to escape. While police struggled to separate the inmates from each other and place them in vans for transport back to Remand Yard, the prisoners cursed loudly at the officers and banged on the prison vans.

The  seriousness of the matter and lack of manpower resulted in Court and Process police calling for back-up which was provided by members of the Guard and Emergency Branch, Crime Suppression Unit, E999 Rapid Response, Southern Division Task Force and the San Fernando CID. Acting Snr Supt Nimrod, ASP Jemmott and Ag Insp Boodram arrived on the scene and spoke to several Court and Process officers who were involved in the incident. Sources said three prisoners were injured but only one was taken to the nearby San Fernando General Hospital, since the others refused to be taken. In light of yesterday’s disturbances, security measures at the court house are expected to be beefed-up. Investigations into the matter are continuing.