The Department of Corrective Services will fit all prisoner transport vans with an intercom system to allow prisoners to talk to their guards, after the death of a low-security prisoner, Mark Holcroft, who had a heart attack on a trip from Bathurst to Tumbarumba nearly two years ago.
An Inquest into the death of Mr Holcroft, 57, who was serving a seven-month sentence for a drink-drive offence, was told prisoners screamed at guards when Mr Holcroft became ill but were ignored.
Mr Holcroft had been treated for symptoms of a serious heart condition a week earlier.
The department said all 75 of the prisoner transport vans would be fitted with the intercom systems by 2014.
The Public Interest Advocacy Centre is representing Mark Holcroft’s family at the Inquest, which continues this week.
Read more: Prison van death ‘took up to an hour’
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