PR queen's husband held in police cell due to 'backlog at prison'
The husband of PR queen Roxy Jacenko has been held in a police cell for six days after he was sentenced, reportedly due to prison overcrowding.
Oliver Curtis has reportedly been sitting in a Surry Hills police station cell since last Friday, after he was found guilty of a $1.43m insider trading scheme.
Last week, Curtis was found guilty by the Supreme Court of conspiring with ex-best friend John Hartman in 2007 to use confidential information to bet on shifts in share prices.
Justice Lucy McCallum sentenced him to two years in prison with a one year non-parole period.
Usually, a prisoner will remain in a police holding cell for no longer than 48 hours, where they are unable to see visitors.
However, the delay in moving Curtis is reportedly caused by "a current backlog" at Silverwater prison.
It's also believed the stockbroker requires extra protection in prison, because his case is considered high profile, The Daily Telegraph reports.
The father-of-two is unable to have any contact with his glamorous wife since being sentenced, and the cell is a far cry from his usual luxurious lifestyle.
[https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/31750334/oliver-curtis-guilty-of-1-4m-insider-trading-scheme/ Oliver Curtis guilty of $1.4m insider trading scheme
The newspaper's source claims Curtis will most likely be held in a special management area, rather than with regular inmates, unless there is someone classified as a low enough risk to share a cell with him.
According to Steve McMahon, chairman of the Prison Officer’s Branch of the Public Service Association, every available bed across New South Wales prisons are being used.
“Overcrowding in prisons is one of the major contributors to unrest and violence in prison, it also undermines the rehabilitation process," he said.
Curtis, a father-of-two, is expected to be given minimum security classification for his white-collar crime.
He may also receive his own master index number and an identity card for mail and supplies.
Curtis' ex-friend John Hartman had pleaded guilty to a list of insider trading offences, most of which related to his own trading.
He also pleaded guilty to a small number of offences relating to tips he passed on to Curtis.
Hartman served 15 months in jail, a reduced sentence after he agreed to give evidence against Curtis, the court heard.
Profits from Curtis' million dollar scam was spent on a new Mini Cooper, a motorbike, holidays in Whistler and Las Vegas and a luxurious Bondi apartment.
During the trial, Ms Jacenko had asked Justice McCallum to spare her husband's time in custody, saying he was a "loving husband and wonderful father" and the primary carer of their children.
The judge acknowledged the separation of families was always "gutting" but said the couple was better placed than most to deal with the change.
