Terror accused locked up in ‘specialist facility’
The man accused of the Christchurch terror attack is in a specialist facility, on his own, where he is being watched around the clock.
Corrections confirmed yesterday that accused shooter Brenton Harrison Tarrant was being held in a ‘‘specialist security’’ facility.
Chief custodial officer Neil Beales would not say where the facility was, but said Tarrant was segregated from other prisoners and subject to 24-hour observation.
Stuff understands Tarrant was transferred to Auckland after appearing in the Christchurch District Court on Saturday charged with murder.
‘‘He is being managed in accordance with the provisions set out in the Corrections Act 2004 and our international obligations for the treatment of prisoners,’’ Bates said.
It was also revealed yesterday that Tarrant now plans to represent himself in court.
The 28-year-old told his duty lawyer, Richard Peters, on Saturday that he did not want a lawyer.
Tarrant has not applied for taxpayer-funded legal aid.
Peters spoke to Tarrant on Friday night while he was in police custody, and again at court on Saturday morning.
Tarrant was ‘‘articulate’’ in the interviews, Peters said.
Reports that Tarrant had fired his lawyer were incorrect. Rather, he was happy to have a duty lawyer for his first remand appearance, Peters said.
Tarrant, who was living in Dunedin, has been charged after 50 people died after shootings at two Christchurch mosques on Friday.
He faces only one murder charge, but police say more charges are likely.