Prison Assault Sentence for Murderer Kayla Dawson

Kayla Dawson, 23, has been sentenced to nine months in prison for assaulting a correctional officer while in custody awaiting sentencing for murder. The sentence will be served concurrently with her existing 20-year murder sentence, meaning it will not extend her release date.

Details of the Assault

The assault occurred in May 2024 at the Silverwater Correctional Centre. During an intervention by four prison officers, Dawson bit a senior correctional superintendent on the arm, drawing blood.

Judge Chris Halburd stated the court could not impose a penalty that would meaningfully extend Dawson's incarceration due to legislative constraints.

The judge also warned Dawson that any future offenses would result in sentences that extend her release date.

Background and Previous Convictions

Dawson was convicted of instigating the murder of 16-year-old Jason Galleghan in August 2021. She received a 20-year sentence with a non-parole period of 13 years in July 2024 for that crime.

Dawson has previous convictions for a separate prison assault and an escape attempt. Medical assessments presented in court indicate she has been diagnosed with a mild intellectual disability, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, Tourette syndrome, and impaired decision-making skills.

Legal Context of the Sentence

The Director of Public Prosecutions chose not to move the assault case to the District Court. Under current legislation, this means any sentence for this offense must be served concurrently with her existing murder sentence.

Dawson will be eligible for release on August 7, 2034.

Related Case

In a related case, Richard Sione, 32, who physically assaulted Jason Galleghan, received a 32-year sentence with a non-parole period of 24 years. Jason Galleghan died two days after being assaulted at Dawson's home in Doonside, western Sydney.