Jesse Baird and Luke Davies: Beau Lamarre-Condon under 24-hour camera surveillance in prison

Accused killer Beau Lamarre-Condon is under 24-hour CCTV surveillance in his western Sydney prison cell and is not allowed to have contact with other inmates.

Lamarre-Condon has been under the strictest form of preventive detention at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Center (MRRC) in Silverwater since shortly after his arrest last Friday.

The 28-year-old is accused of murdering TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29, in inner-city Paddington on February 19.

Police allege Lamarre-Condon shot the couple dead with his service pistol at Mr Baird’s home and dumped their bodies in the Southern Tablelands two days later.

Mr Baird and Lamarre-Condon had previously had a relationship which police described as an “on and off” romance, but Mr Baird had not wanted to pursue a relationship.

Lamarre-Condon, a former celebrity hunter who posted photos of himself with international stars on social media, handed himself in to police in Bondi last Friday.

He faced Waverley Local Court that afternoon when he was represented by a lawyer from the Legal Aid Commission and did not apply for bail.

Lamarre-Condon was then transferred to the MRRC, where his status as a police officer meant he was placed in protective custody to isolate him from the general prison population.

Prison authorities also considered him potentially at risk because he has been accused of extremely serious crimes, has attracted a lot of media attention and has never been in prison before.

Lamarre-Condon is being held at the Metropolitan Remand and Reception Center in Silverwater (above), where his status as a police officer meant he was placed in protective custody to isolate him from the general prison population.

A spokeswoman for Corrective Services NSW said the department did not comment on the circumstances of any individual prisoner, but prison sources could describe some of Lamarre-Condon’s security measures.

Lamarre-Condon is in a so-called observation camera cell that allows prison staff to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day.

Regular physical checks are also carried out to ensure he has not harmed himself in his sparse accommodation, which is in a relatively new part of the 27-year-old prison.

It is the most extreme security available at the MRRC and Lamarre-Condon is completely isolated from all other inmates in the facility.

Prison authorities do not necessarily consider Lamarre-Condon to be a particular suicide risk, but his circumstances together suggest he would be vulnerable in prison.

Lamarre-Condon has been charged with the murders of TV presenter Jesse Baird, 26, (right) and Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies, 29 (left) in inner-city Paddington on February 19

The Corrective Services spokesperson said an inmate can be placed in protective custody either at the governor’s direction or at the inmate’s request.

“The level of prisoners’ associations and the duration of protection will vary depending on the threat identified,” she said.

‘Reasons for requiring preventive detention may include the nature of the crime, previous employment or inability to cope with the correctional facility.

“Inmates identified as in need of the highest level of protection will be managed in isolation from other inmates.”

When a prisoner is first taken into custody, he is screened and assessed for indications that he is at risk of self-harm or suicide.

If he or she is determined to be at risk, their case will be brought to the attention of Justice Health and Forensic Mental Health Network staff and the prison’s Risk Intervention Team.

Lamarre-Condon is in a so-called observation camera cell that allows prison staff to keep an eye on him 24 hours a day. Cells at the MRRC in Silverwater are pictured above

“Detainees at higher risk of self-harm can be housed in secure cells with cameras and extra supervision,” the spokeswoman said.

‘Detainees in secure cells may be subject to restrictions on the types of clothing and bedding they have access to.’

Pretrial detainees shall not be subjected to further unnecessary hardship, such as a reduction in diet, or the deprivation of their usual rights and privileges.

Inmates are advised to carefully consider whether they wish to seek protection, as other inmates will often assume they are child abusers if they return to the general population.

Retired bank robber Russell Manser previously told Daily Mail Australia that Lamarre-Condon’s homosexuality would not make him a target in prison.

“Nobody cares about that,” Manser said. “But if they could get access to him, he would be dropped (because he was a police officer).”

Lamarre-Condon will not appear in court again until April and could remain in the MRRC for many more months.