A sentenced prisoner has pleaded guilty to destroying “everything in his cell” and threatening officers during a riot that caused more than $200,000 damage to Albany Regional Prison.
Zee Ronald Litchfield, 29, appeared in Albany Magistrates Court via video link from custody on Thursday, charged with criminal damage or destruction of property.
Police prosecutor Sgt Warrick Walker told the court how Litchfield and his four co-offenders caused $208,405 of damage to Albany Regional Prison during a riot on December 26, 2022.
At about 9am, Litchfield yelled at prison staff and broke the fixtures of his self-contained cell, including a window, masonry, timber shelving, bed frame and plumbing.
While smashing the glass window, Litchfield yelled: “I’m going to get out of here one way or another” and “I’m going to go to your home and f..k your families up” at prison officers and threw shards of glass at them.
The $208,405 worth of damage was split evenly between the five offenders equating to $41,681 each.
Representing himself, Litchfield disputed the glass-throwing, saying it “flew around” when he smashed the window, and that he had caused damage before changing his plea to guilty.
Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said that, regardless, it was a serious matter.
“Even if you weren’t throwing glass, because of what you were doing glass was flying around, posing a risk to other people and yourself,” she said.
“There was quite a significant amount of damage done and you are responsible for your portion.
“There’s no way for the contractors to say ‘this cell had $10,000 worth of damages, this one had $100,000’.
“You also don’t deny that it involved a lot of accompanying derogatory remarks which also doesn’t help you.”
Litchfield received a term of seven months jail, backdated to January 18, 2024.
https://thewest.com.au/news/albany-advertiser/zee-ronald-litchfield-prisoner-pleads-guilty-to-causing-40k-damage-in-riot-at-albany-regional-prison-c-15243481
