Weekend Herald

Inmate claims assault

- David Fisher

A prison guard is under police investigat­ion after a handcuffed prisoner under the effects of pepper spray went face-first into a concrete floor.

The case has also seen a complaint by a Visiting Justice — a lawyer with rights to access prisons and hear complaints of abuse — over being unable to speak to the prisoner alone and a delay in a later visit.

The Visiting Justice, Lady Heeni Phillips-Williams, said she visited the inmate at Auckland Region Women’s Correction­s Facility to ask about details of the alleged assault.

On being taken to the prisoner’s cell, she found it difficult to speak with her because of the constant presence of three guards.

The inmate was on her bed, covered from her neck down by a blanket, her face hidden. “She would not talk.”

She was prompted to visit again after receiving a letter from the prisoner and, on that occasion, had to wait before being granted access.

Phillips-Williams said the allegation made by the prisoner was of an assault following an altercatio­n in the prison’s dining area.

“She’s told me she was in a situation where she went to break up a fight between two females. The guard came out and pepper sprayed her and handcuffed her, and she was pushed from behind by the prison guard.”

Phillips-Williams said the assault allegedly took place in the shower area and left the woman’s head “split and bleeding” and she had since reported constant migraines.

She had lodged a complaint about access and wanted to know if the guard had been stood down.

The inmate is serving five years on a violence charge. Her mother said she had made a complaint to the Office of the Ombudsman.

Auckland women’s prison director Stephen Parr would not comment on the assault allegation while police were investigat­ing.

However, he said the inmate had earlier attempted to become involved in a fight between three prisoners.

“Staff instructed her to move away, and she responded by trying to punch a correction­s officer. The officer deployed their pepper spray, and other staff assisted . . . in bringing the prisoner under control.”

Parr said the prisoner continued to show aggression, spitting and yelling threats and kicking an officer.

Evidence including photos, CCTV and body camera footage had been made available to police.

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