Killer’s rummage in nurse’s trolley
A convicted murderer was caught rummaging through a nurse’s trolley while receiving cancer treatment in hospital.
Last month Stuff revealed prisoner David Jackson Mahia, who is serving a life sentence for the brutal murder of mother-of-two Nicola Fleming, was playing an expletiveladen video game while in hospital.
Further details into the incident have been released by the Department of Corrections under the Official Information Act.
The department confirmed that during an escorted walk around the ward with two Corrections’ officers, Mahia was caught ‘‘rifling through the contents of a hospital trolley’’.
When an officer told him it wasn’t appropriate and a nurse could supply him with any required dressing, Mahia became aggressive.
He threatened to punch the officer in the nose.
Mahia was placed on an internal conduct charge.
Corrections National Commissioner, Rachel Leota, said the safety of staff was a top priority and violence would not be tolerated.
Any prisoner requiring hospital treatment was accompanied by at least one experienced Corrections’ officers, with more dependent on the prisoner’s risk assessment.
The department declined to release more information about the incident.
Nicola Fleming, 38, was found dead inside a room at an Invercargill hostel in 2013. She had been severely beaten, suffering a fractured face, pelvis, sternum and ribs. No part of her face was left without a mark.
A source said Mahia, an inmate of Otago Corrections Facility, was taken to Dunedin Hospital where he gained access to a Playstation console and played a violent and expletive-laden game, a source said.
When asked by a guard to turn the game down, Mahia allegedly threatened him, making references to his own ill-health and the fact he was serving life.
Mahia has returned to prison after receiving cancer treatment.
After the incident Corrections confirmed it did not supply gaming consoles or games to prisoners, and steps were taken to remove Mahia’s access to the console.