Carlos Turner: 20-year-old earns extra jail for causing $10k worth of damage to Albany Regional Prison cell

An Albany prisoner who trashed his cell and caused more than $10,000 of damage has received another five months in jail less than three weeks before he was due to be released. Carlos Turner was moved to a new cell in Albany Regional Prison on November 25 when he became enraged by the security camera monitoring him and destroyed the room in protest, causing damage valued at $10,376.39. Police prosecutor Sgt Mike Russell said the 20-year-old covered the CCTV camera with toilet paper before ripping out the steel toilet — damaging the plumbing and causing flooding. He also smashed the glass and perspex windows and tore the intercom system out of the wall, telling a guard “how do you rate the damage, boss? I told you I want to move to a cell without a camera”. Turner, who was due to be released on December 28, pleaded guilty to criminal damage in Albany Magistrates Court on December 12. Representing himself via video link from prison, he told the court he had “no real excuse” for his behaviour. “It was a stupid decision,” he said. “I was having drama in jail and stressing about my release and just didn’t want the camera.” Magistrate Erin O’Donnell said Turner’s previous offences inside the prison — including assaults against prisoner officers — aggravated the crime. “This is yet another offence committed in custodial context,” she said. “It has been some time, almost a year without you doing anything but you do have this pattern. “It is aggravated by the fact that even being in custody hasn’t seemed to deter you. “You are sorry for what you did but it is serious conduct.” She sentenced Turner to five months jail, starting on December 12.