In one incident, Marrogi sprayed faecal matter into the face and body of a prison guard through the trap door of his cell using a honey bottle. He also kicked a guard, who was escorting him to a court appearance, to the ground, and set his cell on fire twice in 11 months.
Defence lawyer Peter Morrissey, SC, told a court last week that the outbursts had been exacerbated by Marrogi’s harsh conditions in prison and flagged a civil suit was in the works for breaches of his human rights in custody.
“His situation is appalling, your honour,” Morrissey told the court.
“He lives in his cell. He has no company but the company of the wardens and currently, it’d have to be said, that’s anything but a friendly relationship.”
Magistrate Mike Wardell acknowledged Marrogi’s confinement was extreme, but pointed out that negotiations between Marrogi and prison authorities to improve his situation had reached an impasse.
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“We’ve now got this seemingly tit-for-tat situation happening,” he said.
The Supreme Court documents say Marrogi’s lawyers are seeking an injunction requiring prison authorities to allow him to exercise, spend an hour outdoors every day, and “meaningfully interact with other prisoners”.
They are also seeking an acknowledgement from the government that the existing courtyards at the back of high-security cells do not constitute “open air”.
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