Two months added to jail sentence of inmate who assaulted Hawke's Bay prison officer

The prison officer suffered a sore shoulder after being pushed and put in a headlock during an incident in November last year. Photo / NZME

An inmate at the Hawke's Bay Regional Prison has had an extra two months added to his sentence for assaulting a prison guard last year.

Mathew Alexander Waikato, 21, appeared before Judge Gordon Matenga at Hastings District Court via audio visual link (AVL) on Wednesday morning.

He had earlier pleaded guilty to one charge of assaulting a prison officer on November 30 last year.

The prison officer reported suffering a sore shoulder following the assault, in which he was pushed and put in a headlock by Waikato, then an inmate at the prison.

Judge Matenga said Waikato had refused to give an item of clothing to the prison officer before the assault.

"You pushed [him] and put him in a headlock, attempting to squeeze his neck or choke him out."

The prison officer was assessed by on-site medical professionals but deemed not seriously injured.

Waikato's defence lawyer Laurie McMaster called for any additional jail time to be served concurrently, as he was nearing the end of a two year and eight month prison sentence for a previous aggravated robbery.

However, Judge Matenga felt a cumulative sentence was needed for a "stern deterrent" and to encourage security within the prison.

"There should be order within the prison system."

He also acknowledged though that no sentence should be "crushing" or "snuff out any hope" Waikato might have as a young man with a limited history of violent offending.

He sentenced Waikato to two months prison, which was to be served on top of his original sentence.