Accused cop killer Beau Lamarre-Condon is under 24-hour camera surveillance in his western Sydney prison cell and is not allowed contact with any other inmates.
Lamarre-Condon has been in the strictest form of protective custody at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Center (MRRC) in Silverwater since shortly after his arrest last Friday.
The 28-year-old has been charged with murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, in Paddington town center on February 19.
Police allege Lamarre-Condon shot the couple dead with his service pistol at Mr Baird’s home and then dumped their bodies two days later on the Southern Tablelands.
Accused cop killer Beau Lamarre-Condon (above) is under 24-hour camera surveillance in his Western Sydney prison cell and is not allowed any contact with any other inmates.
Baird and Lamarre-Condon had previously had what police described as an on-again, off-again romance, but Baird had not wanted to get into a relationship.
Lamarre-Condon, a former celebrity hunter who posted photos of himself with international stars on social media, handed himself in to police in Bondi last Friday.
He appeared at Waverley Local Court that afternoon when he was represented by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission and did not apply for bail.
Lamarre-Condon was then transferred to the MRRC, where his status as a police officer meant he was placed in protective custody to isolate him from the general prison population.
Prison authorities also considered him potentially at risk because he has been charged with extremely serious crimes, has attracted media attention and has never been in prison before.
Lamarre-Condon is being held at the Metropolitan Detention and Reception Center in Silverwater (above), where his status as a police officer meant he was placed in protective custody to isolate him from the general prison population.
A NSW Correctional Services spokeswoman said the department did not comment on the circumstances of any individual inmate, but prison sources were able to outline some of Lamarre-Condon’s security arrangements.
Lamarre-Condon is being held in what is known as an observation camera cell that allows correctional officers to monitor him 24 hours a day.
Regular physical checks are also carried out to ensure no damage has been done to their sparse accommodation, which is in a relatively new section of the 27-year-old prison.
It is the most extreme security available at the MRRC and Lamarre-Condon is completely isolated from all other prisoners at the facility.
Prison authorities do not necessarily consider Lamarre-Condon to be a particular risk for suicide, but his circumstances combine to suggest he would be vulnerable in prison.
Lamarre-Condon has been accused of murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26 (right) and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29 (left) in Paddington city center on February 19 .
The Correctional Services spokesperson said a prisoner could be placed in protective custody either by order of the governor or at the inmate’s request.
“The level of inmate association and the duration of protection will vary depending on the threat identified,” he said.
‘Reasons for requiring protective custody may include the nature of the crime, previous employment, or the inability to cope with the correctional facility environment.
“Inmates identified as needing the highest level of protection will be treated in isolation from other inmates.”
When an inmate is first admitted to custody, he or she is screened and assessed for any signs that he or she is at risk of self-harm or suicide.
If he or she is identified as being at risk, his or her case is communicated to Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network staff and the jail’s Risk Intervention Team.
Lamarre-Condon is being held in what is known as an observation camera cell that allows correctional officers to monitor him 24 hours a day. The MRRC cells at Silverwater are shown above
“Inmates at highest risk of self-harm may be housed in secure cells with cameras and additional surveillance,” the spokeswoman said.
“Inmates in secure cells may have restrictions placed on the type of clothing and bedding they can access.”
Inmates in protective custody should not be subjected to undue hardship, such as reduced diet, or deprived of their usual rights and privileges.
Inmates are advised to carefully consider whether they want to receive protection, as other inmates will often assume they are child sex offenders if they return to the general population.
Retired bank robber Russell Manser previously told Daily Mail Australia that Lamarre-Condon’s homosexuality would not make him a target in prison.
“No one gives a damn about that,” Manser said. “But if they could access it, they would drop it.” [for being a police officer].’
Lamarre-Condon will not appear in court again until April and could remain in the MRRC for many months.