Prison officers to stage 24-hour strike

NSW prison officers will stage a 24-hour strike over fears the government is planning to privatise prisons and prisoner transport services.

NSW Public Service Association (PSA) general secretary John Cahill says officers will stop work at 10pm (AEDT) on Tuesday and hold a protest rally outside NSW parliament on Wednesday morning.

Mr Cahill says the government is market testing plans to sell off Parklea and Cessnock correctional centres, as well as aspects of court security and prisoner escort.

"Our concern is that Treasury will push to have these vital services privatised in the November 11 mini-budget as they search for cost savings," he said.

"The message to the government from frontline prison officers is that this proposal would undermine security both within jails and in the broader community."

Mr Cahill said privatisation of prisons interstate and overseas had shown that assaults on officers had increased and security had been compromised.

"Prison officers are seeking a clear indication from the NSW government that privatisation is not on the agenda.

"The message to the premier (Nathan Rees) is that the state's prison service is at breaking point and the proposed response of privatisation and casualisation will only make matters worse."

Comment was being sought from the government.

Prison guard in civil assault case

Mr Angelos, when kicked during a cell search a NSW prison guard broke two of his ribbs and smashed his head against the wall after forcing him to kneel with his hands handcuffed behind his back.

Sydney's District Court has heard a prison officer and a colleague have received threats from other prison guards since they broke ranks to give evidence in support of a former prisoner at Parramatta Jail, Edward Angelos, who alleges prison guard Joshua Peterson, 41 beat him in his cell in December 2005 while he was serving periodic detention for driving offence.

Judge Ray McLaughlan has suppressed the names of the prison officers as they give evidence in a civil case that 41-year-old Mr Angelos has launched against the state of NSW.

And the case against him may rest on another kind of "dog": the spiteful moniker allegedly given to a whistleblowing prison guard who has dared to give evidence against Mr Peterson.

Mr Angelos, of Redfern, alleges two of his ribs were broken when Mr Peterson kicked him during a search of cells. He also claims Mr Peterson smashed his head against the wall after forcing him to kneel with his hands handcuffed behind his back during the search for drugs by the Corrective Services Drug Dog Detection Unit.

Judge McLaughlan has reserved his decision in Mr Angelos's civil assault action, and will bring down his finding on November 11.

At the time, Mr Angelos was serving midweek periodic detention. His cell was not among those listed to be searched, his barrister, Sophie Walsh, told Judge McLaughlan.

Mr Peterson had been charged with criminal assault over the alleged attack, but this was dismissed in a local court.

The whistleblowing officers did not give evidence in the criminal case.

Mr Angelos's claim for $40,000 in damages would not have been believed had it not been for the two prison guards coming forward, Ms Walsh says.

One of the officers, codenamed CW1, told of being called "a dog" daily by other guards.

Judge McLaughlan agreed that other prison officers who took part in the cell searches had an attitude of "saw no evil, heard no evil" when they were called to give evidence.

Ms Walsh told the court that prison guards were given powers of restraint and force, but "this was a complete abuse of those powers".

Police breath test for mates probe

The Police Integrity Commission is investigating whether police officers at Moree and Orange took breath tests for mates, including the son of a fellow police officer, so they would not be charged with drink driving.

The Commission is looking at two incidents including one at Moree last year in which it will be alleged a man who registered a mid-range reading at a roadside breath test was allowed to skip his second test at the police station and drive home because he worked for Corrective Services.

It will be alleged a police officer did the test for him and registered a blood alcohol reading of zero.

In the second case in Orange last year, the son of a police officer blew a reading of more than 0.02 at a road side random breath test, which is a high range reading. After his father was contacted he was escorted home and someone else did the second test at the police station on his behalf, his reading was officially registered as zero.

Both cases came to the attention of senior police who began the investigation before they were handed over to the Commission.

In his opening address counsel assisting the Commission, David Staehli, said whatever the findings "it is anticipated that there will be shown to be amongst some officers a view of their obligations which is at best inconsistent with their duties as enforcers of the law and at worst plainly criminal".

Updated 3:48pm (AEST)

Officer denies drink-drive corruption claim

The inquiry's has heard that in September last year, Corrective Services officer David John Webb recorded a reading of 0.134 when he was pulled up by police at Moree. It is alleged he got out of the charge after calling his boss, John Arthur Weavers. Mr Weavers told the inquiry he called his friend Jeffrey Budd at the station, but said it was just a courtesy call. In the witness stand, Mr Weavers said he was very drunk at home when Mr Webb called him. He said he cannot remember details, but admitted it is possible he asked Inspector Budd, who is now the duty officer at Tamworth, to do the best he could for Mr Webb. He did not deny suggesting a police officer blow into the bag to record a reading of zero. Mr Webb was later allowed to drive home with a police escort. Mr Webb has also given evidence in which he admitted to buying a policeman a beer after the incident, but denied it was to return the favour. The inquiry continues.

Updated 6:35 (AEST)

Breath tests faked by police

TWO policemen have admitted falsifying a breath analysis so a prison guard from their station could escape a drink-driving charge, alleging senior police and Corrective Services officers gave them "the green light". Senior Constable Phil Smith said the Corrective Services Assistant Superintendent for Moree, John Weavers, called when he heard about Mr Webb's arrest and told him to "get someone else to blow in the bag". Mr Webb was allowed to drive home and Mr Smith blew into the bag to produce a clean result.

Another constable, James Boaden, wrote a false address and occupation on the incident sheet, and falsely quoted Mr Webb as saying "thank goodness" when the reading was done. Mr Smith told Mr Boaden that "if everything does turn to shit, we will just stick to our story". But when he discovered there was an investigation into the incident, "I spoke to Constable Boaden and told him to tell the truth." Mr Smith said he told Mr Webb he was lucky to escape the charge. Mr Boaden told the commission he heard Mr Smith discuss Mr Webb's situation with his superior, Inspector Geoffrey Budd, over the phone. "[Mr Smith told me] we have been given the green light … I was under the impression that a certain course of action was expected from us." When asked whether he believed something improper would follow, he said: "Yes." The hearings continue today.