Seventh Inmate Admits Role in Violent Cessnock Jail Attack
A seventh inmate has pleaded guilty to his involvement in a brutal bashing at the maximum-security Shortland Correctional Centre in Cessnock, bringing the total number of attackers who have admitted their roles to seven. The violent incident, which occurred in February last year, saw two Nomads bikies savagely assaulted with jail-made weapons, including knuckle dusters and a shiv, as well as fists and feet.
Fugitive Inmate Captured and Pleads Guilty
Rafael Piliae, 27, the only attacker without direct bikie ties, had been on the run for several months after repeatedly failing to appear in Newcastle Local Court. A warrant was issued for his arrest in early December when he could not be contacted. Piliae was finally apprehended on New Year's Day after being stopped while driving disqualified in Western Sydney. He has remained in custody since his capture.
Appearing in Newcastle Local Court this week, Piliae pleaded guilty to affray after prosecutors agreed to withdraw the more serious charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company. His solicitor, Donna Smith, represented him during the proceedings.
Sentencing Outcomes for Other Attackers
Six other inmates with connections to the Nomads bikie gang had already pleaded guilty to their roles in the attack last year. Three of these men have already received their sentences, while others await their fate in upcoming court appearances.
Brodie Dalzell and Cody Flood recently received their sentences in Cessnock Local Court, with Dalzell getting time served and Flood receiving a community corrections order. These outcomes were partly influenced by the victims' decisions not to make statements or assist police with the investigation.
Kerim Cikar pleaded guilty to both assault occasioning actual bodily harm in company and affray, receiving a jail sentence with a non-parole period of 19 months. However, this sentence also included other unrelated charges.
Upcoming Sentencing for Remaining Inmates
Dalton Hough will be sentenced alongside Piliae next week, while two other attackers face more serious proceedings. Russell Rajapakse, who is already serving a maximum 24-year sentence for the 2020 murder of Corey Breceljnik on the Central Coast, and Luke Caban will be sentenced in Newcastle District Court next month.
The violent incident highlights ongoing concerns about gang violence within correctional facilities and the challenges authorities face in managing such conflicts. The case continues to unfold as the remaining attackers await their sentencing outcomes.
