Two officers hurt as prisoner lashes out in Hastings court attack

A police officer may not return to work for weeks after he was allegedly attacked by a prisoner in the Hastings District Court. Photo / File

It may be weeks before a police officer can return to work after he was allegedly attacked by a prisoner who had just been jailed in the Hastings District Court.

Hawke's Bay Area Commander Inspector Dave Greig said a senior constable and an authorised officer were attacked by a prisoner who had been sentenced just before midday on Wednesday.

He was 24-year-old Napier Walker who Judge Tony Adeane had just jailed for two years and 10 months for burglary, wilful damage, unlawfully getting into a motor vehicle and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

They were moving the prisoner from the courtroom to a cell about 11.45am when the inmate "kicked off", Mr Greig said.

The senior constable sustained significant facial injuries, including an eye socket fracture, and had medical treatment at the Hawke's Bay Hospital before being discharged late afternoon that same day.

The authorised officer suffered chest and rib injures and also received medical treatment.

Yesterday Inspector Greig said the senior constable would require surgery for the eye socket fracture and ongoing dental care for a broken tooth.

"We hope to be able to interview him over the weekend but as you can imagine he is very sore."

The investigation into the incident was ongoing and it was likely the prisoner would face charges in relation to the attack, he said.

"At this stage we are still gathering evidence prior to making any decisions around charges. We don't know when the senior constable will be able to return to work, it may be some weeks."

The authorised officer had a follow-up appointment with his GP yesterday and, suffering very sore ribs, he was not expected back at work until after Boxing Day, he said.

"We are continuing to support both members and their families."

Wednesday wasn't the first time Walker was jailed for burglary.

In 2012 he was sentenced to two years and three months' imprisonment after admitting five domestic burglaries relating to the plundering of people's homes throughout Napier.

When confronted by the one of his victims, from whose home he fled with a foot badly gashed on a broken window, he pleaded not to be given a hiding and said he burgled the house because he had drug debts with the Mongrel Mob.

In a police interview he admitted he had been targeting laptop computers, to trade for "tinnies'' of cannabis.

A police summary said Walker would walk the streets, and whenever he spotted insecure or partly open windows he would investigate, and burgle the houses if no one was home.