A legal 'loophole' that led a court to slash notorious prisoner Bassam Hamzy's sentence for assaulting a prison officer will be closed after a prison staff walkout.
Prison officers walked off the job across New South Wales on Friday afternoon, causing chaos in the courts and in the state's jails.
The dramatic strike came after Daily Mail Australia revealed Hamzy, 35, had a 30 month jail sentence quashed by the District Court.
The snap strike led top ministers to seek urgent advice from prosecutors over whether they will appeal the sentence.
Acting Judge Graham told the court Hamzy had been wrongly punished twice for his 2017 attack on a prison officer, first by losing his jail privileges and secondly through the extension to his already lengthy sentence
Some of the nation's worst criminals were left under minimal supervision after guards at prisons across New South Wales walked off the job on Friday (Pictured is Goulburn Supermax)
Staff walked off the job just before midday, with all prisoners placed in lockdown and only a skeleton staff - including leaving the guard towers empty - throughout the jail (Stock image)
Attorney General Mark Speakman and Prisons Minister David Elliott said that they stood with 'hardworking correctional officers' in a letter to the union.
'Their safety is our priority,' the pair said.
The pair then announced if there is no appeal, or the appeal fails, the government will 'address ... any loophole'.
Public Service Association of NSW general secretary Stewart Little said: 'We welcome this.
'But why do prison officers have to strike, across the state for 24 hours, to have their safety concerns heard?'
The strike comes at a critical time for the government as it faces voters in less than two weeks' time in what is expected to be a tight election.
Daily Mail Australia understands state Labor will soon release its own policy on the issue. A Labor spokesman was contacted for comment.
The decision by prison officers came after Daily Mail Australia revealed the soft stance taken by the NSW District Court against notorious inmate Bassam Hamzy (pictured), who assaulted a guard in 2017
Last week's walkout even
