Death in custody highlights prison service delays, police union says
The death of a man in police custody has raised concerns about overcrowding and systemic failures in Queensland's watch houses. The police union claims that the man should have been transferred to a prison for appropriate medical care instead of remaining in the watch house. An investigation by the Queensland coroner is currently underway regarding the incident.
- ▪A 30-year-old man died after being transferred to a hospital from the Maryborough watch house.
- ▪The police union argues that he should have been moved to a nearby prison for medical attention sooner.
- ▪Maryborough watch house is reported to be operating at 200 percent capacity, raising concerns about conditions for prisoners.
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Police union alleges 'defunct' corrections work practices behind record watch house overcrowdingJBy James C TaylorABC Wide BayTopic:PrisonsWed 20 May 2026 at 6:31amWed 20 May 2026 at 6:31amWed 20 May 2026 at 6:31amShane Prior says a man who died while in police custody should have been in the care of the prison service. (ABC News: Mark Leonardi)In short:A watch house prisoner died in January after being taken to hospital to remove drugs from his body.The police union says he should have been transferred to a nearby prison to receive appropriate medical care.What's next?The Queensland coroner is investigating the incident.abc.net.au/news/union-blames-work-practices-for-watch-house-overcrowding/106695280Link copiedShareShare articleThe death of a man in police custody highlights systemic…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at ABC News (Australia).