Accused denied access to news
The man accused of the Christchurch mosque shooting is not allowed access to newspapers or TV and radio – depriving him of the ability to read about the atrocity.
On top of the media ban, he is also held in segregation under 24-hour surveillance, and no visitors have been approved to see him.
Authorities will not reveal where the accused is being held while he awaits his next court appearance in Christchurch, except to say that it’s in a ‘‘specialist security facility’’.
Stuff understands the accused is being held in Auckland, home to the country’s only maximum security prison, 25 kilometres north of the city centre. Corrections said it worked with ‘‘other agencies’’ to transfer the prisoner from Christchurch.
Corrections Minister Kelvin Davis declined to answer questions about how the accused was being held yesterday.
‘‘I’m not going to go into any operational things. You’ve got to remember that the safety of Corrections officers is most paramount and I’m not going to say anything to jeopardise that.’’ Maximum security
A new 260-place wing at the prison, costing $300 million, was opened in July last year.
The prison is home to many of the country’s most notorious criminals, and those serving some of the longest sentences.
Serial rapist, and now convicted murderer, Malcolm Rewa is behind bars there.
He is serving a sentence of 22 years for rapes and sexual attacks against 25 women. Rewa is due to be sentenced for Susan Burdett’s murder next week.
The prison is also where William Bell is serving the country’s longest sentence – life in prison with a 30-year minimum term – for the murder of three staff at the Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA in 2001.
Insider’s guide
No-one knows the inside of a cell at Auckland Prison better than Arthur Taylor.
He is one of New Zealand’s longest-serving prisoners and was freed from jail in February. The 62-year-old has spent the better part of 40 years behind bars.
He said the accused would be living a ‘‘lonely, monotonous existence’’ while in custody. ‘‘This guy has nothing brilliant to look forward to . . . he’ll eat to survive,’’ Taylor said. ‘‘I don’t think he’s going to enjoy it.’’