OVERDOSE LIFTS DEATHS TO NINE AT PRIVATE JAIL

A 24-year-old prisoner was found dead after a suspected drug overdose in
Port Phillip prison yesterday - the ninth death in custody since the
privately run prison opened last August.

Mark Schrempf was found dead in his share-cell in the prison protection unit
about 9am, said a Group 4 prison director, Mr Tony Wood.

Schrempf, who had served 33 of his 44-month sentence for burglary offences
and breach of parole, had tested positive to drugs days before he was found
dead in his cell, Mr Wood said.

His death was the second suspected drug-overdose death at the prison. Four
of the nine deaths were suicide through hanging, and three have been listed
as natural causes.

Mr Wood said Schrempf had requested to be placed in the prison protection
unit when he was transferred to Port Phillip in June.

The unit did not provide greater supervision, ``but separated the prisoner
from others to protect him from possible harm'', he said.

A syringe was found in the dead man's cell and, ``it appears the prisoner
may have died from a drug overdose'', Mr Wood said.

He said it was unfortunate that the prisoner had access to drugs, but short
of removing all prisoners' visiting rights, there was little more that could
be done to prevent drugs entering the prison.

``As you can imagine it is very difficult to prevent ... our barrier control
mechanisms are already tough,'' he said.

The state Opposition spokesman for prisons, Mr Andre Haermeyer, said the
number of deaths at the prison was unacceptable, and called for a public
inquiry.

``They've had more deaths in custody in the first year of operation than the
entire Victorian prison system had for the last seven to eight years,'' he
said.

A spokesman for the state Minister of Corrections, Mr Bill McGrath, said
police were investigating the death and it would be subject to a coronial
inquiry.

``No one likes a death in custody and it will be investigated,'' he said.

Checked-by: "Rolf Ernst"