One of Australia’s most high-risk inmates has allegedly been seriously assaulted inside Goulburn Supermax Jail for the second time in less than two months.
Bassam Hamzy, 45, the founder and crime boss of the infamous Brothers 4 Life gang, was punched in the head and momentarily knocked unconscious in the alleged attack on Saturday afternoon.
It followed a similar assault on Hamzy on December 21, when he was attacked with makeshift blade, known as a shiv by convicted murderer Ricky McNamara in a small, caged exercise yard in NSW’s most secure prison.
In the latest alleged attack, Hamzy had just been just bled into the exercise yard, when another inmate allegedly lunged at him with a shiv, before a prison officer knocked the blade away.
It’s also alleged the other inmate threw a flurry of punches one of which knocked Hamzy to the ground, forcing a prison officer to intervene again.
‘One inmate suffered injuries to his head area but did not require hospitalisation and refused treatment by on-site medical staff,’ a Corrective Services NSW spokesman told Daily Mail Australia.
Bassam Hamzy (pictured), the 45-year-old founder of the infamous Brothers 4 Life gang, was briefly knocked unconscious in the alleged attack on Saturday afternoon
The Supermax (pictured), officially named the High Risk Management Centre, is known for holding some of NSW’s most dangerous criminals
READ MORE: One of Australia’s most notorious gang bosses is ‘shivved’ in supermax
Bassam Hamzy (pictured), was attacked by another inmate wielding a makeshift blade, known as a shiv
‘Corrective Services NSW is investigating the incident.’
According to sources, Hamzy later told corrective services officers that he did not need to be checked on overnight and thanked staff for their concern.
Despite the frenzied violence of the previous attack on December 21, Hamzy escaped with just minor injuries, according to prison authorities.
A Corrective Services NSW spokesperson said at the time that Hamzy and McNamara had undergone strict vetting before being put in the yard together.
At about 8am on Thursday, 21 December 2023 two inmates were undertaking approved exercise together in the yard at the High Risk Management Correctional Centre in Goulburn,’ the statement said.
‘One inmate assaulted the other inmate who sustained minor injuries as a result.
‘Chemical munitions were deployed and both inmates were secured safely. NSW Police were notified and attended the scene.’
Hamzy also made headlines earlier this week by calling for the Supermax prison to be shut down for exposing inmates to cruel and inhumane punishment.
He represented himself in NSW Supreme Court on Tuesday after launching a civil action against the Commissioner for Corrective Services.
He claimed conditions inside the Goulburn Supermax are in breach of NSW law.
Hamzy recalled harrowing incidents of self harm, suicide and segregation inside the prison which he argues may ‘reasonably be expected to adversely affect’ prisoners’ physical and mental health.
In handwritten documents, Hmazy asked the court to declare Supermax in breach of NSW regulations and order it ‘be shut down or brought into compliance with the law’.
He submitted a list of incidents ‘in relation to (himself)’ which he believed were detrimental to his mental health, including a prisoner setting their own cell alight.
Hamzy claims Supermax (pictured) has exposed inmates to cruel and inhumane punishment after he allegedly witnessed several self harm and suicide incidents involving other prisoners
‘When an inmate next door to me commits suicide that has an impact on me,’ Hamzy told the Supreme Court, news.com.au reported.
‘When an inmate sews up his lips or puts faeces all over his body that has an impact on me.’
READ MORE: Inside one of Australia’s most notorious maximum security prisons amid calls for the ‘cold and dark’ jail to be shut down
The Supermax, officially named the High Risk Management Centre, is known for holding some of NSW’s most dangerous criminals, including terrorists and murderers.
James Emmett SC, acting for the commissioner, urged the court to deny Hamzy’s request as issues relating to other inmates were not intended to be punishment.
The court also heard Hamzy has collected statements from inmates including gangland killer Naseam El-Zayat and an old affidavit from ex-Bandidos bikie Kon Georgiou.
He claims he tried to collect further affidavits from other inmates but staff had used his status as a high-risk inmate to block him from talking to ‘willing witnesses’.
Hamzy’s list of potential witnesses included Brothers 4 Life-linked hitman, Conrad Craig.
‘I already know what they’re going to say,’ Hamzy said of the witnesses.
‘I’ve lived their experiences, and I know their experiences.’
Hamzy has been imprisoned since 1999 after he was arrested and found guilty of fatally shooting a Sydney nightclubber in 1998.
He has also faced allegations of running a drug ring from behind bars in the Supermax prison.
Hamzy is also seeking the court to declare a 2022 decision to deny him phone contact with lawyer was an abuse of power.
On Tuesday, Hamzy called for the commissioner to submit incident reports from Supermax.
The matter will return to court at a later date.
