Dean Wickliffe is on day nine of a hunger strike and says he won't eat until he is released from Springhill Prison. Corrections is monitoring his health.
Dean Wickliffe is on day nine of a hunger strike and says he won't eat until he is released from Springhill Prison. Corrections is monitoring his health.
77-year-old prisoner Dean Wickliffe has told his lawyer he’s lost 17kg during a hunger strike at Springhill Prison.
His lawyer Annette Sykes says whānau are concerned about his physical and mental health.
Corrections told the Herald there has been no change in his status and they are continuing to monitor his health.
A Corrections spokesperson told the Herald “the prisoner continues to drink liquids but is declining to eat food”.
“Our health and custodial staff continue to support him andencourage him to resume eating. Because of our legal obligations under the Privacy Act 2020 and Health Information Privacy Code, we are unable to comment further on a prisoner’s health status or any other private information, including their weight.”
Wickliffe is due to appear before the parole board on April 3 – but is telling his lawyer and visitors he won’t eat until he is released.
“Dean has lost 17kg since his hunger strike. We have mana whenua going in [to visit him] today ... to encourage him to eat,” his lawyer Annette Sykes said.
Wickliffe was arrested on March 5 for breaching his parole by living in his car and not the address in his parole conditions.
He was taken to Springhill Corrections Facility on March 6, where an alleged altercation took place.
Dean Wickliffe in 2021. He was recently sentenced in the Tauranga District Court for a parole breach, which led to a recall to prison. Photo / File
Corrections is investigating Wickliffe’s claims that he was beaten up by a prison guard, Kym Grierson, Acting Commissioner Custodial Services confirmed on Tuesday.
“A prisoner allegedly refused a request to enter his cell and, after throwing an item, took a fighting stance towards staff,” Grierson said.
“Following this, staff intervened and the prisoner sustained injuries while being restrained. He received medical treatment from prison health staff and was taken to hospital Thursday evening. He returned to the prison early the following morning.
“One staff member involved in the incident is not currently at work,” Grierson said on Tuesday.
Corrections confirmed today the staff member remains off work.
Sykes said she was preparing a formal complaint. “I understand the guard [allegedly] responsible has been stood down and an internal investigation will be carried out. We will make a complaint. A big one.”
Relative and Māori activist Tame Iti is visiting Springhill today in an effort to convince Wickliffe to abandon his hunger strike. “I am an old friend and whanaunga from Ngati Whakaue,” he told the Herald.
“I’m going to tell him, ‘bro, you don’t have to starve yourself to death to prove a point’. Dean has a lot of support.”
Tame Iti is visiting Dean Wickliffe in Springhill Prison today. Photo / Michael Cunningham
Wickliffe also had a video call with Sykes today and was visited by Green MP Steve Abel.
“Dean Wickliffe said he will not end his hunger strike until he is released from Springhill,” Abel told the Herald.
“His skin looks jaundiced and he’s just bones. He said when got to prison he was 60kg. When I gave him a hug before I left I could see he had lost a lot of weight. He said he was losing over a kilo a day and he’s only drinking water but is being monitored.
“There are petitions being prepared to get him out on compassionate grounds” he said.
