Convicted drug trafficker Bruno Tassone has been awarded $100,000 after alleging that hid pre-existing diabetes condition worsened as a result of the food he was fed in prison.
Not only that but, as reported by The Adelaide Advertiser he claims that his condition deteriorated while he was incarcerated because it wasn’t managed properly.
His settlement, which is derived of Australian taxpayers’ dollars, is set to be split in thirds: $40,163.43 for Tassone’s lawyers, $49,836.57 for Tassone and $10,000 set aside to cover his medical expenses.
The $100,000 will be kept in the Prisoner Compensation Quarantine Fund for a year, giving any victim affected by Tassone’s crimes 12 months to make a claim against it.
And this is something Peter Malinauskas, the Correctional Services and Police Minister of South Australia, is calling on Tassone’s victims to do.
“This is a decision that hasn’t been made by the department or me as minister, but rather by the appropriate authorities in Crown,’’ he says.
“What I think is important is that we have in place a legislative regime that ensures victims’ interests are put ahead of the offender.”
“That process is now under way and there is a mechanism for victims of the offenders’ crimes to be able to get access to these funds before he ever does.’’
However, Commissioner for Victims’ Rights, Michael Connell, argues that if Tassone “was wronged while in prison, he is entitled like any other victim to apply for compensation”.
Tassone, 61, will be held in custody for another three years, answering to drug-trafficking crimes that involve cannabis, cocaine and methamphetamines.
As reported by The Advertiser, Tassone kicked off his claim against Central Adelaide Health Network, who facilitate the prison medical service, in January 2011. He claims that due to his condition not being treated properly while he was in jail between 2007 and 2010, his sight in his right eye has deteriorated quite significantly.
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