Chained up for toilet break
Prisoners escorted outside WA jails now have to be chained to an officer when going to the bathroom after a prisoner escaped from a public hospital toilet.
Bradley McIntosh-Narrier was charged yesterday with 29 offences after his escape from two Serco prison transport guards at Joondalup Health Campus on Friday.
The 27-year-old had been remanded in custody at Joondalup Magistrate's Court that day over four charges including aggravated burglary and an ambulance was called to take him to hospital after he hurt his hand at court.
At the hospital, the guards escorted him to the toilet where he ripped a handrail off the wall and threatened the guards.
They shut McIntosh-Narrier in the bathroom and called police but, despite wearing leg shackles, he climbed through the roof and hijacked a car to escape.
McIntosh-Narrier was on the run for 48 hours and allegedly stole cars and committed a robbery before his recapture on Sunday afternoon.
His escape came just two weeks after two maximum-security prisoners broke out of a Serco prison van at Geraldton airport and went on the run for 36 hours.
Serco, the company which runs WA prison transports, and the Department of Corrective Services issued an immediate directive on Friday evening to use more restraints on prisoners under escort when privacy was required.
Corrective Services Minister Joe Francis said yesterday the "chamber restraints" added a chain to a prisoner's leg shackles.
The chain is passed under a toilet cubicle door, so the prisoner can have privacy while secured to a guard or a fixed point.
Mr Francis said McIntosh- Narrier's handcuffs were taken off so he could use the toilet.
The department said it was assessing restraint options with a view to improving security in situations where normal restraints had to be modified, but would not give specific details.
McIntosh-Narrier was under police guard in Royal Perth Hospital yesterday, where a bedside hearing may be held today.
He was taken to hospital after allegedly crashing a stolen car through a fence in Armadale and climbing on to a roof.
He faces charges including escaping legal custody, aggravated armed robbery, aggravated burglary, car stealing and failing to stop.
