An insect bite is being investigated as the possible cause of the death of aSydneyprison inmate at the weekend, NSW police have confirmed.
At around 10pm on Friday, officers were informed of the death of the 41-year-old Aboriginal inmate, who was being treated at Westmead hospital after being transferred from Parklea prison for treatment earlier in the day.
NSW police said an insect bite was a line of inquiry, but the manner and cause of death would be ultimately determined by the coroner. His death was not being treated as suspicious.
Following his death, a group of inmates held a peaceful protest at Parklea prison on Saturday morning.
A spokesperson for Management & Training Corp (MTC), which runs the prison, extended sympathies to the man’s family and friends and the Aboriginal community and said they were working with Corrective Services NSW and police to investigate the death.
The spokesperson said there were no injuries during Saturday’s protest, and nothing was damaged:
After a period of negotiation, the majority of inmates were voluntarily secured in their cells. A small number of inmate representatives then spoke with centre management. At about 12.30pm, inmates were released from their cells, and normal routine recommenced.
In a weather warning issued at 11pm on Monday night, theBureau of Meteorologysaid a vigorous coastal low was developing offshore to bring damaging, locally destructive winds and possible heavy rainfall over central and northern NSW from Tuesday.
At 4.10am on Tuesday it repeated warnings of storm force winds for the Macquarie coast and Hunter coast, a gales warning forSydneyenclosed waters, Sydney coast, Illawarra coast and Batemans coast. There was also a warning of strong winds for theByron coast, Coffs coast and Eden coast.
Read our explainer to find out what is in store:
The NSW Greens justice spokesperson,Sue Higginson, has welcomed the declaration of a critical incident investigation after a woman was injured at a pro-Palestine protest inSydney.
Hannah Thomas, who ran against the prime minister,Anthony Albanese, in the Sydney seat of Grayndler at the federal election, was arrested at the protest attended by about 60 people in Belmore on Friday morning before she was taken to hospital.
Thomas – who has said she could lose sight in her right eye after the arrest – was charged with resisting police.
Police yesterday announced they had declared a critical incident, meaning the force will undertake an investigation into the conduct of the officers who were involved.
Critical incident investigations are triggered when a death or serious injury has occurred during a person’s interaction with NSW police.
In a statement last night, Higginson said she welcomed the police move, adding:
This must be recognised as the minimum requirement … This cannot just be left as police investigating police.
It concerns me deeply that the police in announcing the critical incident have referred to the protest at Belmore “unauthorised”.
It’s important to remember people do not need authorisation to hold a protest. To do so would mean we really do live in a police state.
Thomashas also criticisedthe Minns government’s “draconian anti-protest laws”, which give police broad powers to issue move on orders outside places of worship whether or not the protest is directed at the place of worship.
Minns and the police have denied that the laws were used in this instance.
Good morning and welcome to our live news blog. I’mMartin Farrerwith the top overnight stories and thenRafqa Toumawill be taking over.
It looks like a busy morning for emergency services down the New South Wales coast with high winds and rain forecast to sweep in during the morning. TheBureau of Meteorologysaid last night“a vigorous coastal low was developing offshore to bring damaging, locally destructive winds and possible heavy rainfall”. More coming up.
And the NSW Greens justice spokesperson,Sue Higginson, has welcomed the declaration ofa critical incident investigationafter the Greens’ former candidate for Grayndler,Hannah Thomas, was injured at a pro-Palestine protest in Sydney. More coming up.