A prisoner accused of lighting fires inside Canberra's jail during an hours-long revolt is set to fight a string of charges.
Keith Ernest Frank Carberry, 23, appeared in the ACT Magistrates Court via audio-visual link from the Alexander Maconochie Centre on Tuesday.
Aboriginal Legal Service lawyer Sam Lynch, representing Mr Carberry on a duty basis, entered pleas of not guilty to two counts of arson and single charges of affray, damaging property worth more than $1000, and resisting a territory public official.
Police released a statement earlier this month announcing they had charged the 23-year-old and another man of the same age over a May 12 "disturbance" inside one of the jail's remand units.
"The incident lasted several hours, and resulted in extensive damage to the [jail]," ACT Policing said.
The Canberra Times reported at the time that six fire crews had attended the Alexander Maconochie Centre as guards dealt with a revolt involving up to 28 prisoners.
MORE COURT AND CRIME NEWS:
- Drug dealer rumbled after child loses lucrative stash at hotel
- Alleged baseball bat-wielding attacker already 'on thin ice'
- Barber jailed for attacking man with boxcutter in packed mall
- Victim hopes child sex offender has 'miserable life'
- 'Two sides to every story': Scott to claim self-defence in Kokomo's case
"The incident started with a number of detainees behaving aggressively and not complying with officer directions," the Justice and Community Safety Directorate said the day after the incident.
"Corrections officers acted quickly and professionally to resolve the incident."
The ACT government directorate said nobody had required admission to hospital.
"Officers successfully negotiated with the detainees and the matter was resolved when detainees became complaint with directions," its May 13 statement said.
After Mr Lynch entered the not guilty pleas on Tuesday, Magistrate James Stewart adjourned Mr Carberry's case until October 5.
The other inmate charged over the incident was supposed to appear in court on August 10 to face four charges linked to the revolt.
His case was delayed, however, until August 31 after jail staff were apparently unable to find him within the facility on the original date.
