A MAN accused of the armed robbery of a Wagga service station and getting away on a stolen mountain bicycle has pleaded guilty to setting fire to his Junee jail cell and bashing a corrections officer with a broken broom handle.
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Dominic Butler, who turned 20 just two weeks ago, was charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer causing actual bodily harm after an attack in a jail pod on December 16.
At the time, Butler was serving the remainder of a prison term after his parole had been revoked.
Undisputed facts tendered to Wagga Local Court on Wednesday said Butler refused a correctional officer’s directions during a lock-in.
Butler grabbed a broom in C pod, broke it and told the guard: “If you come in here … I’m going to smash you with this”.
The officer stepped inside the pod to gain control of the situation and Butler took a swing, but missed as the officer stepped back.
The officer then stepped back inside the pod with other guards but this time Butler landed a blow, striking the officer just under his left armpit, causing redness and bruising.
“Other staff members intervened and restrained the accused who was removed from the unit and placed in a holding cell,” the facts said.
About three weeks later, on January 5, Butler set fire to the segregation cell he was being held in at Junee.
Closed circuit television cameras caught Butler setting fire to a power point, toilet paper, a blanket and pillow case.
“After a very short time, the segregation cell filled with dark smoke,” police facts said.
“The accused covered his face with a piece of clothing and walked around the cell.”
Correctional officers wearing breathing apparatus entered the cell, controlled Butler and “removed him from the dangerous and smoke-filled cell”.
The fire caused $1125 damage to the cell and its contents.
Butler, accused of robbing a Wagga service station attendant of $1000 while armed with a 14-cm steak knife on October 16, applied for bail on Wednesday.
The application was opposed by Director of Public Prosecutions solicitor, Lisa Hanshaw, who described the robbery case against Butler as “overwhelming”.
“A custodial sentence is imminent, and a lengthy one at that,” Mrs Hanshaw said.
Magistrate Michael Crompton refused Butler bail and adjourned the case to April 26 for sentencing on the jail offences.
