Convicted child killer Arthur Freeman has been hospitalised with non-life-threatening injuries after an attack in jail, according to authorities. The incident occurred on Wednesday morning at the Western Plains Correctional Centre, located near Geelong in southern Victoria.
Details of the Prison Assault
Freeman, aged 54, sustained injuries during a confrontation with another prisoner at the facility. It is understood that he has spent the majority of his life sentence segregated from the general prison population for safety reasons. Victoria Police will investigate the altercation, which resulted in no injuries to other prisoners or staff members.
Background of the Crime
Arthur Freeman was sentenced to life imprisonment in March 2011 after a five-day jury deliberation. The court found that he had consciously, voluntarily, and intentionally thrown his four-year-old daughter, Darcey Iris Freeman, off the top of the West Gate Bridge in January 2009. Darcey was due to start prep school on the same day she was killed.
During sentencing, Justice Paul Coghlan described the killing as particularly callous, noting that Darcey's last thoughts were unbearable to contemplate. He emphasised that her death must have been painful and highlighted the presence of Freeman's two young sons, Ben and Jack, aged six and two at the time, during the incident. Justice Coghlan expressed hope that Jack would be too young to remember the traumatic event.
Motive and Previous Incidents
Justice Coghlan stated that any motive for the killing had nothing to do with the innocent victim. Instead, Freeman had used Darcey as a means to hurt his ex-wife as profoundly as possible, following a reduction in his access to his children by the Family Court the day before the murder.
This is not the first time Freeman has been involved in jailhouse violence. In 2011, he was previously engaged in a fight with another inmate and bit an officer who attempted to intervene.
The investigation into Wednesday's attack will proceed as Freeman receives medical treatment for his injuries.
