WARNING: Offensive language
A court has been played the phone call an enraged inmate made to his mum after learning his alleged prison guard girlfriend was dating an ex-prisoner.
Corey London’s call from Long Bay prison in early 2020 was a key piece of evidence for prosecutors as they attempted to prove former corrections officer Melissa Goodwin performed sex acts on him behind bars.
Bodybuilder Ms Goodwin, 26, has pleaded guilty to engaging in an intimate relationship with an inmate causing a safety risk but disputes allegations the jailhouse tryst involved five rendezvous with oral sex.
She has characterised the bond formed with London at Silverwater jail as more of a “pen pal” romance despite the court being told her personal number was saved on his mother’s phone under “Corey GF”.
Burwood Local Court was told on Wednesday that London phoned his mother after seeing news reports Ms Goodwin was being investigated for her relationship with Caleb Valeri, a former jailbird who had been released on bail.
In the call London labelled his alleged ex-flame a “little f---ing slut” and dubbed known Rebels motorcycle gang associate Valeri a “gronk”.
“Did you see the news?” he asked.
“Your girlfriend?” his mother replied.
London continued: “Ma she was f---ing … some c--t got out and she was with him. And she got done. She’s a f---ing little dog.”
Over the grainy prison phone line London pleaded with his mother to contact Ms Goodwin for him.
“Just message her for me … tell her, the f--k happened? … All of a sudden I find out on the news and the f---ing paper, you serious?
“Tell her I get out in six months anyway. I’m f---ing burning at this f---ing dog.”
London’s mother told her son: “At the end of the day she’s a f---en screw.”
“She was probably seeing like 10 of yas,” she said.
That prompted a spiky response from London: “What do you mean, I was the first one?”
“The thing is she was being serious and because I didn’t call her for four weeks she went and (got with) this little Rebel, ya know what I mean?
“And he got out on bail and she went and picked him up.“
Prosecutor Timothy George said the phone call revealed the relationship between London and Ms Goodwin was “deeper … than simply being a pen pal”.
Excerpts of a letter Ms Goodwin wrote to London in January 2020 were read to the court: “Miss you heaps, counting down the days. If only you were out before Valentine’s Day.”
The court was played London’s phone call after he was charged with contempt of court having refused to come up from the cells to testify at the hearing.
London had been escorted to the courthouse from Parklea jail but the court was told he would not budge from the cells below the building.
Magistrate Daniel Reiss told London’s lawyer to visit him in the cells to advise him of the custodial penalties for refusing the call to give evidence.
Despite receiving legal advice several times, London did not relent and now faces the prospect of extra time behind bars.
“I reminded him of the custodial (penalties) of contempt and he still refuses to come up,” his lawyer said.
“He just refuses to talk and doesn’t want to discuss any comment he’s made so far.”
Magistrate Reiss found London in contempt of court, saying it did not appear the threat of extra time on his sentence troubled the inmate.
“I find that conduct amounts to contempt of court,” he said.
Mr Reiss also referred the matter to the Supreme Court, where there are limitations on the penalties for contempt.
Later, Mr George told the court London admitted at a meeting last month he would not be taking the stand out of fear for his safety.
The court was told he was hospitalised with a broken jaw suffered on May 19.
“You don’t know what he’s going to do to me,“ London was said to have told Mr George at the meeting.
The court was told London would not specify who he was referring to.
Mr George said London attempted to recant his allegations that Ms Goodwin performed oral sex on him inside a jail storage room but eventually stuck to his story.
“He initially lied, saying it’s all false about the sexual acts in the storeroom … because he’s concerned about his safety,” Mr George said.
Mr Reiss asked: “He was lying about lying because he was concerned about his safety. That’s how you’re putting it?”
Mr George said London had been trying to “think of a reason not to give evidence”.
London is still serving a prison sentence and is not eligible for parole until August 2022.
The prosecution sought to tender London’s police statement as evidence in his absence.
Ms Goodwin’s barrister Robert Webb told the court the entire police case relied other evidence of London, who he described as a “miserable character” and “all-round liar”.
Mr Webb said the “maliciously motivated ... nasty criminal” made the claims against his client at a time when he was “enraged because my client moved on”.
London “passionately hates and despises” Ms Goodwin, her barrister said.
“The motivation is not love, it’s hate,’ he said. “He hates her, he says so.”
Mr Webb said the statement also carried an inducement that London would not be charged with contraband offences laid against his client for allegedly smuggling in tobacco and chewing gum.
Ultimately Magistrate Reiss ruled against London’s statement being introduced as evidence.
The magistrate said he was no persuaded it was made in circumstances that made it highly probable it was truthful and honest, saying London might have been using the allegations as a means of revenge.
Police had alleged Ms Goodwin gave London oral sex five times in a storeroom while she was meant to be supervising him behind bars.
She is also accused of kissing, touching and flirting with the inmate, whom she allegedly talked with on the phone and prison intercom system.
She also disputes those claims.
The suspended prison guard has pleaded not guilty to unlawfully delivering items to an inmate, relating to allegations she smuggled in White Ox tobacco, two lighters and chewing gum for London.
Ms Goodwin appeared in court wearing a leopard print top and black pants matching the colour of her prominent neck tattoo.
The matter will return to court on July 1, when prosecutors will decide if they will pursue the sex allegations.
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7r7HWrGWcp51jrrZ7zZqroqeelrlwutKwZJqbpGSwsMHRrapmpJGsfK6xy6KqrJldnLywsNaipWahnqKutbGMnKarnaliubC6w6ilZqqVm8K0sdJmq6hll57DpnnEr6CdnZ6Ysm61zWaaqK2iqXqwwsSrZKmqmai8r3nLqK2eZZGbs6K10Wilnq%2BjYsC1u9GyZmueYWyBeH7Dn51vmpRngqJ8j2%2Bcb3CTl7J4gJSdZ2xp