Melody Teh
Mind

“He’s a model prisoner”: Inside Gerard Baden-Clay’s life in prison

Convicted killer Gerard Baden-Clay is a “model” prisoner, who keeps a low profile and schmoozes prison officers, an anonymous source told The Courier Mail.

Baden-Clay’s good behaviour has reportedly earned him extra privileges, including extra “buy-ups” at the prison canteen and possibly an extra weekly visit, sources revealed to the publication.

“He does everything he is asked to do,” a source said. “When he approaches you he says: ‘Excuse me, officer.’ He is very polite.

“He is not demanding. It’s just his nature, I think. He’s a conman.”

Baden-Clay, who was convicted of the 2012 murder of his wife Allison, is serving a life sentence in Brisbane’s Wolston Prison with hundreds of other killers and the state’s worst sex offenders, including aniel Morcombe killer Brett Cowan. 

He reportedly has kept out of trouble and stays close to a close circle of friends.

A source said Baden-Clay, 47, had a job in prison industries and “you never hear from him”.

“If they don’t have breaches, they get an extra visit, extra things on their buy-up,” the source said.

“Same with [Daniel Morcombe killer] Brett Cowan, you never hear from him. They don’t want to be known around the general population.

Prisoners can buy toiletries, food and snacks such as chips and chocolate from the canteen.

But it is unclear who Baden-Clay would use an extra visit for as he has been banned from having any contact with his three daughters.  

If Baden-Clay’s good behaviour continues, the source told the paper the father-of-three could be upgraded to the residential section of the jail, which is far more comfortable than his current cell, in the coming years.

A Queensland Corrective Services spokesman said he was unable to comment about individual prisoners but said Wolston operated an Incentives and Enhancements Program (IEP) that applied to all prisoners.

The program allows prisoners to work through levels to receive increased access to buy-up arrangements.

“The underlying purpose of any IEPs is to address negative behaviour and improve staff safety by establishing a prison environment with increased control measures for prisoners with restricted privileges,” the spokesman said.

“Processes are also in place for managing breaches of discipline while in custody.”

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Mind, Legal, News, Gerard Baden-Clay, Allison Baden-Clay