Nemesis
04-04-2004, 04:26 PM
April 5, 2004
PRISON authorities are keeping inmates with links to the victims of Melbourne's gangland killings separated amid fears of payback murders.
Prisoners with connections to the warring factions allegedly involved in the latest underworld slayings have been split up to serve their sentences in different units in the state's two maximum security jails.
The Herald Sun believes prison management, on the orders of the Corrections Commissioner, has been working with the Victoria Police Purana taskforce to keep tabs on inmates connected to criminal factions.
Corrections Victoria and senior officers from the Purana gangland taskforce met as recently as Friday to swap notes on inmates and their affiliations.
Bounties as high as $150,000 are believed to have been placed on prisoners' heads.
A spokesman for Acting Corrections Commissioner Paul Delphine yesterday said: "The sentence management process that we go through is rigorous for all prisoners.
"We've got to be aware of who hates who and who is affiliated with who and make placements accordingly."
Prisoners considered dangerous are being housed in protective management units and can spend up to 23 hours a day locked in their cells.
Prisoners who have been linked to the gangland killings include:
MICK GATTO, on remand in Port Phillip Prison charged with murder after the death of suspected underworld hitman Andrew Veniamin.
VICTOR BRINCAT, on remand in Barwon Prison charged with the murder of amphetamines identity Michael Marshall.
THOMAS HENTSCHEL, also on remand in Barwon Prison charged with Marshall's murder.
HEATHCLIFF WILSON, serving a three-year minimum term in Port Phillip Prison for manslaughter.
HIZIR FERMAN, serving a one-year sentence for possessing an unregistered firearm.
ROBERT MUSSO, also serving a one-year sentence for possessing an unregistered firearm.
In December last year, Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard Ferman and Musso had links to the murders of underworld figures Nik "The Russian" Radev and Mark Mallia.
There have now been 23 gangland killings in Melbourne, the latest that of crime patriarch Lewis Moran last Wednesday.
Prison sources and police say there is now a real risk of a gangland-related killing happening in jail.
"There are fears there's going to be something happening, some sort of payback," a senior jail source said.
"There's going to be some sort of revenge, and Corrections don't want it to happen inside the prison system.
"Corrections have identified potential risks within the system and done a lot of homework as to who's aligned with who. They are all flagged on the system so they can't end up in the same unit as each other."
Sources say there is still a possibility of a revenge murder behind bars as any prisoner not affiliated with a warring faction could be tempted to get involved by offers of money.
"There are some fairly healthy contracts hanging over people's heads," said one insider who cannot be named.
"All it can take is one up-and-comer to take up the offer to make a name for himself and pick up a cash reward."
One prisoner tenuously linked to one of the gangland hits is known to be living in fear behind bars.
In October last year, Heathcliff Jonathan Wilson was linked by DNA to the shotgun used to kill Jason Moran and his criminal mate Pasquale "Little Pat" Barbaro.
He is now housed in protective custody after word spread there was a $150,000 price on his head.
Wilson was in jail on remand the day Moran and Barbaro were gunned down in June last year.
He was arrested and remanded over the death of his half-brother before the Moran/Barbaro double murder. When it was announced his DNA was found on the shotgun, he was awaiting sentence having been found guilty of manslaughter.
The Office of Public Prosecutions will also make an application to have Moran's assets forfeited in the Supreme Court.
Agence France-Presse
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9192837%255E2,00.html
PRISON authorities are keeping inmates with links to the victims of Melbourne's gangland killings separated amid fears of payback murders.
Prisoners with connections to the warring factions allegedly involved in the latest underworld slayings have been split up to serve their sentences in different units in the state's two maximum security jails.
The Herald Sun believes prison management, on the orders of the Corrections Commissioner, has been working with the Victoria Police Purana taskforce to keep tabs on inmates connected to criminal factions.
Corrections Victoria and senior officers from the Purana gangland taskforce met as recently as Friday to swap notes on inmates and their affiliations.
Bounties as high as $150,000 are believed to have been placed on prisoners' heads.
A spokesman for Acting Corrections Commissioner Paul Delphine yesterday said: "The sentence management process that we go through is rigorous for all prisoners.
"We've got to be aware of who hates who and who is affiliated with who and make placements accordingly."
Prisoners considered dangerous are being housed in protective management units and can spend up to 23 hours a day locked in their cells.
Prisoners who have been linked to the gangland killings include:
MICK GATTO, on remand in Port Phillip Prison charged with murder after the death of suspected underworld hitman Andrew Veniamin.
VICTOR BRINCAT, on remand in Barwon Prison charged with the murder of amphetamines identity Michael Marshall.
THOMAS HENTSCHEL, also on remand in Barwon Prison charged with Marshall's murder.
HEATHCLIFF WILSON, serving a three-year minimum term in Port Phillip Prison for manslaughter.
HIZIR FERMAN, serving a one-year sentence for possessing an unregistered firearm.
ROBERT MUSSO, also serving a one-year sentence for possessing an unregistered firearm.
In December last year, Melbourne Magistrates' Court heard Ferman and Musso had links to the murders of underworld figures Nik "The Russian" Radev and Mark Mallia.
There have now been 23 gangland killings in Melbourne, the latest that of crime patriarch Lewis Moran last Wednesday.
Prison sources and police say there is now a real risk of a gangland-related killing happening in jail.
"There are fears there's going to be something happening, some sort of payback," a senior jail source said.
"There's going to be some sort of revenge, and Corrections don't want it to happen inside the prison system.
"Corrections have identified potential risks within the system and done a lot of homework as to who's aligned with who. They are all flagged on the system so they can't end up in the same unit as each other."
Sources say there is still a possibility of a revenge murder behind bars as any prisoner not affiliated with a warring faction could be tempted to get involved by offers of money.
"There are some fairly healthy contracts hanging over people's heads," said one insider who cannot be named.
"All it can take is one up-and-comer to take up the offer to make a name for himself and pick up a cash reward."
One prisoner tenuously linked to one of the gangland hits is known to be living in fear behind bars.
In October last year, Heathcliff Jonathan Wilson was linked by DNA to the shotgun used to kill Jason Moran and his criminal mate Pasquale "Little Pat" Barbaro.
He is now housed in protective custody after word spread there was a $150,000 price on his head.
Wilson was in jail on remand the day Moran and Barbaro were gunned down in June last year.
He was arrested and remanded over the death of his half-brother before the Moran/Barbaro double murder. When it was announced his DNA was found on the shotgun, he was awaiting sentence having been found guilty of manslaughter.
The Office of Public Prosecutions will also make an application to have Moran's assets forfeited in the Supreme Court.
Agence France-Presse
http://www.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,4057,9192837%255E2,00.html