Comments made to a dying woman in a Melbourne prison cell were disgusting, says a supervisor who had already spoken to guards about how they speak to women.
Veronica Nelson died in her cell at the Dame Phyllis Frost Centre in January 2020 after making more than a dozen calls over the intercom system for help.
Screaming in pain from leg cramps, it took repeated requests from Veronica before she was given drinks, Panadol and a blanket.
"It's not an emergency, stop asking," one guard told Veronica in recordings played at an inquest into her death.
She was also told to stop yelling because she was keeping other women awake.
Veronica's body was found three hours after her last call for help. She died from an undiagnosed condition in the context of drug withdrawals, for which she was receiving medication.
Supervisor Leanne Reid told the inquest the confronting intercom audio wasn't surprising to her because she knew who the officers were and she previously had to speak to them about they way they speak to each other, staff and women.
Veronica's family will suggest to the inquest the remarks reflected an attitude that she was "inferior and unimportant", their lawyers told Ms Reid on Wednesday.
"I don't know if I'd use those words - you're probably being a bit more forgiving than me," Ms Reid replied.
"I think it's disgusting behaviour and nobody should be treated or spoken to like that."
After a period in the prison medical centre, Ms Nelson was transferred to the Yarra Unit at Ms Reid's request so she could continue to be monitored.
Veronica was unwell, repeatedly telling prison officers she believed she had vomited up medication supposed to help her.
Ms Reid said if she had been on duty she would have called for a senior officer and medical staff to help.
The failure to check on Veronica for hours on end was inappropriate, she said.
Prison officer Karen Heath was the second most-senior person in the prison that night and saw Veronica in her cell, going with the nurse to deliver medication at 1.30am.
"Lucky she's in custody because she's so unwell," the inquest heard Ms Heath told the nurse.
It was "tragically unlucky" though, lawyers for Veronica's family said, given she was the type of woman who would have sought medical treatment herself.
Nurse Athena George, who saw Veronica in the early hours of the morning she died, is expected to give evidence on Thursday.
