Fate of prison guards finally revealed

The fate of four prison guards who failed to act after an inmate was bashed in his cell at Ngawha Prison, has been revealed to the Northern Advocate.

It's taken more than five years, but the Northern Advocate can finally reveal what happened to guards at Ngawha Prison who were criticised over the brutal bashing of an inmate in his cell - four were given final written warnings and one resigned before any action could be taken.

The Department of Corrections cited privacy in refusing to release details of disciplinary action taken against the prison guards over a brutal bashing that left a man with life-threatening injuries after the Advocate first requested the information in February, 2010.

The newspaper made a request under the Official Information Act for details of what actions were taken against staff at Northland Regional Corrections Facility also known as Ngawha Prison, after the bashing of inmate Matt Te Hira in the jail on March 8, 2008. The request for information came after the department's report, Investigation Of the Circumstances Surrounding The Serious Assault by Other Prisoners of Prisoner Matthew Reuben Te Hira at NRCF, Weka North Unit, criticised staff over the bashing. The department's refusal to release the information was referred to the Ombudsman, who sided with Corrections, saying the privacy concerns, which had been canvassed with the Privacy Commissioner, were valid.

Mr Te Hira had been attacked by gang members and was beaten up to three times in his cell, including once in which a sock filled with batteries was used as a weapon. He was left with life-threatening injuries. The report found that Mr Te Hira had made his concerns for his safety known to a prison guard the day before he was bashed, but the guard did not report his fears until after the beating. The report recommended that the staff-related issues it found be addressed and said disciplinary action had been taken against the staff concerned, but would not say what the action was. But after Te Tai Tokerau MP Kelvin Davis raised the delay in getting the information with Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Liga in March, a response was finally given.

Corrections Deputy Chief Executive Vincent Arbuckle said when the request was made in 2010 the department felt that public interest did not outweigh its concerns for the safety of the staff involved in the incident.

"Following recent consultation with the Office of the Ombudsman, and due to the time that has passed, we have reconsidered our position and have subsequently confirmed the release of the employment outcomes," Mr Arbuckle said. "I can advise that four staff involved in the incident were subject to employment investigations. The four were issued with final written warnings. One other employee resigned and the department was not able to take further disciplinary action."

- The inmate who orchestrated the wave of vicious attacks on Mr Te Hira was jailed for 12 years. Johnothan Poutai, 44, will have to serve a minimum of six years and two months before being eligible for parole. His co-offenders Arthur Briggs, 25, Les Tasos Connelly, 29, Stefan Hoeer, 37, and Eru Te Whata, 21 were sentenced to between nine and 10 years' jail.