In an emotional moment at an inquest, a prison nurse has issued a heartfelt apology to the family of Wayne Hunt, a disabled inmate who tragically passed away following an epileptic seizure. The incident took place at Darwin Correctional Centre on August 29, 2024, and has since raised serious concerns about the standard of care provided to Hunt.
During the proceedings, the nurse, whose name has been withheld for privacy reasons by NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, candidly admitted to shortcomings in the care administered to Hunt. The nurse acknowledged both personal and institutional failures by himself and NT Health in fulfilling their responsibilities towards Hunt.
Wayne Hunt, aged 56, experienced a seizure while incarcerated, which led to a distressing sequence of events. After the seizure, Hunt became agitated and was met with forceful restraint by prison guards. They subdued him onto a mattress, handcuffed him, and placed a spithood on his head, actions that have been scrutinized during the inquest.
Following this encounter, Hunt was transported to the prison’s medical unit via wheelchair. However, instead of receiving a comprehensive medical evaluation, he was left unclothed and vulnerable on the floor of an “at-risk” cell. The negligence of this act became evident when Hunt was discovered unresponsive the following morning.
Despite efforts to revive him, Hunt was later taken to the hospital, where he succumbed to his condition two days afterward. This tragic outcome has highlighted the urgent need for reform in the care protocols within correctional facilities, to prevent future occurrences of similar neglect.
The nurse, whose identity has been suppressed by NT Coroner Elisabeth Armitage, said he and his employer, NT Health, failed in their duty of care to Hunt.
He agreed he failed to do medical tests on the new inmate as required under the jail’s epilepsy treatment guidelines.
As a nursing team leader at the prison, he said he was overloaded with other work amid staff shortages and was unable to do the tests.
The nurse told the inquest he was concerned at the rough handling of Hunt by the immediate action team, known as Ninja Turtles because of their body armour.
He said he was “non-confrontational” and lacked the confidence to ask the guards to stop roughly handling a disabled inmate who had just had an epileptic seizure.
Hunt had a prosthetic limb after losing his leg in a motorbike accident in 2008.
“When I get pushback from other people … I just don’t know how to push back,” the nurse told the inquest on Friday.
The nurse earlier said he asked prison guards to move Hunt to a resuscitation room for medical assessment, but was “brushed aside” by officers who put the inmate into a bare “at-risk” cell.
The nurse on Friday apologised to Hunt’s family, including his wife, Rhonda Phillips, sitting in the public gallery.
Before addressing them, he had to compose himself, using tissues to wipe tears from his eyes.
“I’m really sorry for this incident … I extend my condolences to the whole family. I could have done better in advocating for Hunt,” the nurse said.
“I missed that opportunity, given all the circumstances … I wish I could have done better.”
The nurse said he hoped there could be a better relationship between corrections and medical staff at the prison in future.
Hunt was only days into a sentence for dangerous driving causing death after he accidentally hit his ute’s accelerator and fatally crushed an 11-year-old boy against a wall at a supermarket in 2022.
