Family members of inmates at one of WA's biggest prisons have been left devastated after Christmas Eve visits were cancelled amid another COVID-19 outbreak.
WARNING: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander readers are advised that this article contains the name of a person who has died.
The day before Christmas Eve, Hakea Prison in Perth announced it was suspending social visits to the prison from December 23 to December 31.
Susan*, the mother of one inmate, said her son had a visit booked with his family for Christmas Eve but it was cancelled, and they now did not expect to see their loved one until next year.
"I know he's in prison but they're still humans," she told the ABC.
"When you're locked down for 23 hours a day because of a lack of staff, you look forward to those visits.
"It's heartbreaking to hear him on the phone talking about how tough he's doing it."
Hakea Prison, in the southern Perth suburb of Canning Vale, has around 900 inmates ranging from minimum to maximum security and is where the majority of remand prisoners — those awaiting trial or sentencing — are held.
It has come under repeated fire for extended lockdowns during COVID-19 outbreaks and failing to provide adequate mental health care to inmates.
Families not informed of backflip
When contacted by the ABC, the Department of Justice said it had implemented a week-long ban on social visits on December 23 due to a COVID-19 outbreak, but later that same day backflipped on the plan.
However relatives received text messages on December 23 informing them their scheduled visits on Christmas Eve were cancelled.
They were not informed of the change in policy and the Hakea website on Sunday still stated visits were banned until December 31.
The department said Hakea would be able to accommodate visits over the Christmas period going forward, however most prisons did not allow visits on Christmas Day.
"Like most WA prisons every year there are no social visits at Hakea on Christmas Day for reasons of fairness as not all requested visits could be accommodated," the department said in a statement.
Prisoners instead have a special meal and participate in Christmas activities.
Family members fear the mental health of prisoners will deteriorate further as they have missed out on seeing their loved ones over the Christmas period.
"[My son] is not in a good headspace at all," Susan said.
"There's a lot of frustration in there because of the way they're being treated.
"The answer to everything is just lock them down. They're in lockdown constantly."
And she said the cancellation of Christmas visits meant his family were suffering too.
"His son was looking forward to seeing him so much," she said.
"He's normally really bubbly and happy and he was like, 'I don't get to see daddy'.
"His partner, she was trying not to cry for the kids, but you could tell she was pretty upset."
Scathing report into Hakea
Hakea was thrust into the spotlight earlier this year when 27-year-old Ricky Lee Cound took his own life after being held in lockdown for weeks.
He was transferred to Hakea after taking part in a riot at Acacia prison, which resulted in extended lockdowns at both facilities.
Mr Cound's family said he was not given adequate supervision despite self harming in the lead up to his suicide and was instead held in a "punishment unit".
In a report published in May, Inspector of Custodial Services Eamon Ryan found Hakea was failing to deliver health services amid ageing facilities, poor hygiene and overcrowding.
"Hakea typically holds the highest numbers of prisoners with psychiatric needs in the state," Mr Ryan wrote.
A forensic psychiatrist Mr Ryan engaged to review the mental health care service found the "overall system of care [is] not therapeutic, did not meet modern community standards of care and was leaving mentally unwell people not accessing appropriate treatment".
"The absence of enough secure forensic mental health beds in the hospital system put enormous pressure on Hakea's ability to cope with prisoners in acute mental health crisis," it reported.
The WA coroner last week handed down findings on the suicide of another prisoner, 42-year-old Wayne Thomas Larder, at Hakea.
Coroner Michael Jenkin recommended Hakea should as a matter of "utmost urgency" increase the number of mental health safe cells from six to 12.
Mr Jenkin also called for the department to review "whether the resources and facilities currently available to staff at Hakea to manage prisoners with complex mental health issues and/or behavioural issues were adequate, and consider the feasibility of establishing a dedicated mental health unit at Hakea."
*Susan's name has been changed to protect her identity.
