A convicted paedophile, known for posing as a security guard to lure children, has died after an alleged assault inside a Queensland prison.
Death Following Prison Altercation
Shannon Daniel Norgate, aged 28, died in hospital on Monday after an incident involving two other inmates. The altercation occurred at the Maryborough Correctional Centre on November 26. Queensland Police confirmed that Norgate was found unresponsive at around 9am that morning.
The Queensland Police Service Corrective Services Investigation Unit has launched a probe into the circumstances surrounding his death, which is being treated as the result of a suspected assault.
A History of Predatory Crimes
Norgate's death brings a grim end to a history of serious child sex offences. In March 2020, he was convicted of five offences related to a 2019 incident. The Gladstone District Court heard how Norgate, disguised as a security guard, sexually assaulted a four-year-old boy in a school bathroom. A five-year-old child witnessed the attack.
For these crimes, he received a four-year jail sentence. However, this was suspended after he served just under 14 months in custody.
His freedom was short-lived. In 2023, Norgate was again convicted, this time for grooming a 12-year-old child. Despite the presiding judge describing him as a "true predator," he was sentenced to only two years imprisonment. He was serving this sentence at the time of his death.
Investigation and Aftermath
The investigation into the fatal incident at Maryborough Correctional Centre remains ongoing. Authorities are piecing together the events that led to Norgate being found unresponsive in his cell.
His case highlights the ongoing challenges within the corrective services system and the severe consequences of violence between inmates. The details of the assault and the identities of the other inmates involved have not yet been publicly disclosed.
