EVIDENCE TAG
1988Small, rectangular, cream coloured card, evidence tag for club (1995.475.1). Small, rectangular piece of cream card with the two corners along left edge cut off. In the centre along the left edge of the tag is a small, circular hole. Either side of the hole, along the left edge of the tag, is printed in black, 'unitags 3744'. On the front of the tag, printed across the top in bold black ink and underlined, is 'O.H.M.S.' Underneath, stamped on to the front of the tag in blue ink is a District Court of Western Australia stamp, which is fading. Handwritten annotations have been added to the stamp in black pen. In its entirety, the stamp and annotations read, 'IN THE DISTRICT COURT OF WESTERN AUSTRALIA/ R V Prison Riot/ EXHIBIT JJ put in by Davies/ for R identified by Aldworth/ No 466/88/ Date 16- 9- 88'.
This evidence tag (1995.475.2) was located by volunteer Laura Connell in the ORS files in the Research Library, along with the printed data sheet for the associated club (1995.475.1). The tag had previously been accessioned, however it had not been entered into Mosaic.
The associated club (1995.475.1) was a makeshift weapon discovered during the Prosecution team's visit to Fremantle Prison after the January 1988 riot. It was used as evidence against the ringleaders charged over the riot and resulting fire. This evidence tag came from this court case. The club and evidence tag were returned to Fremantle Prison after the trial. This club was probably made by rioting prisoners by tearing material from the exercise yard furniture, fixtures and/or fittings, and creating a handle from the torn fabric of their uniforms.
Details
Details
'unitags 3744'
The 1988 riot at Fremantle Prison was the most damaging in the institution’s history. Instigated in response to the Prison’s archaic conditions, the high summer temperatures and general boredom were also contributing factors.
At 3:30pm on 4 January, prisoners in 3 Division yard stormed into the Main Cell Bock. Using improvised weapons and boiling water they took five officers’ hostage and stole their keys. The prisoners lit fires, using newspapers, cell furniture and fuel from the Prison’s lawnmower which they had been secretly stockpiling. The flames reached the roof, which eventually collapsed in 4 Division.
The riot lasted into the next day, when the hostages were released after 18 hours. Whilst there were some serious injuries, no one was killed. The estimated damage bill to the Prison was between $1.5 and $2 million. The instigators of the riot were separated from the prison population in the newly established Special Handling Unit.
Two weeks later, prisoners at Fremantle went on hunger strike, calling for a public inquiry into the conditions at the Prison and to protest the withdrawal of their privileges. An inquiry was held in February and was highly critical of the Prison’s outdated facilities. The government began plans for a new prison, and Fremantle finally closed in November 1991, 80 years after its closure was recommended in the 1911 Royal Commission. It was superseded by the new maximum-security prison at Casuarina.
