(file photo/paNOW Staff)

By Nigel Maxwell

Correctional culture

‘Violence in jails is a big concern’: judge doubles suggested sentence for offender

Feb 4, 2020 | 4:00 PM

One of the men involved in a three-on-one attack at Prince Albert Correctional Centre last December, was on the receiving end of a Prince Albert judge’s rebuke Tuesday morning.

Dallas Fulton, 23, pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and his legal aid lawyer suggested a sentence of 45 to 60 days in jail. Prior to the Dec. 23 incident, Fulton was scheduled for release Jan. 20.

“Violence in jails is a big concern,” Judge Felicia Daunt said, handing Fulton a four-month sentence instead with 24 days credit for his time spent in remand.

The victim in the assault was not seriously hurt, and managed to run from his attackers. He was released from custody days later as part of his own sentence.

Crown Prosecutor Elizabeth Addabor explained the incident happened in the centre’s main yard area. Other inmates watched the incident and made “barking” noises, Addabor said.

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While there was no evidence to show Fulton’s association to any gang, Addabor further explained the barking sound was commonly used by members of a gang. Meanwhile Judge Daunt was not finished with Fulton, who offered no apology for his actions.

“If you keep up this behaviour Mr. Fulton you will not be getting out, you will go to prison,” Daunt said.

The incident at the Prince Albert Correctional was one of three violent incidents in less than a month. The victims in the other assaults sustained far more serious injuries. Bob Bymoen, President of the Saskatchewan Government Employees Union (SGEU), which represents the correctional officers at the jail, explained to paNOW last month these types of “serious” incidents have become too common, and added many stem from issues related to a lack of programming and overcrowding.

“Along with overcrowding it makes it more and more difficult to separate the gang members who would like nothing better than to potentially kill somebody, or beat somebody from the other gang up,” he said.

Violence in correctional facilities was also discussed at length during a recent trial at Prince Albert Court of Queen’s Bench. Tyler Vandewater, 31, is facing a charge of second-degree murder in the death of his former cellmate Chris Van Camp on June 7, 2017.

Vandwater testified, “99 per cent” of the inmates in the Maximum Security Unit at Saskatchewan Penitentiary carry weapons. He also confessed to sleeping with his own “blade” every night.

“I’d rather have it with me than caught without [it],” he said.

During his testimony, Vandewater described routine violence in the prison, admitting to personally observing people getting assaulted or even killed.

At least one of the correctional officers who testified last week at the trial also said it was very common to find weapons during searches of cells.

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nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @nigelmaxwell