Kelly Ellis says nearly every day a lawyer in Whangarei was asked by "black-eyed and bruised" prisoners to be detained at Ngawha rather than the Serco-managed Mt Eden Correctional Facility.
Kelly Ellis says nearly every day a lawyer in Whangarei was asked by "black-eyed and bruised" prisoners to be detained at Ngawha rather than the Serco-managed Mt Eden Correctional Facility.
Northland prisoners on remand in Auckland's Mt Eden Serco prison fear for their safety and don't want to go back, a Whangarei barrister says.
Kelly Ellis has revealed that some of her clients on remand are requesting adjournment times for less than two weeks as it increases their chances ofbeing held on remand at Ngawha Prison, near Kaikohe.
Ms Ellis said that, nearly every day a lawyer in Whangarei was asked by "black-eyed and bruised" prisoners to be detained at Ngawha rather than the Serco-managed Mt Eden Correctional Facility.
The prison is under scrutiny after a prisoner died in Whangarei Hospital. Labour Corrections spokesman Kelvin Davis said in Parliament that Nick Evans, 25, was moved to Ngawha Prison in Northland with injuries sustained in Auckland.
Ms Ellis said she had become increasingly concerned about stories linking Serco with fight clubs, widespread drug use, under-staffing and extreme violence.
"They (prisoners) are complaining about the violence and they just don't want to go to Auckland. Everyone inside is too frightened to speak out so it's up to the lawyers," Ms Ellis said of her clients.
"These prisoners won't talk about who is doing it or who is turning a blind eye."
She said Serco had a responsibility to ensure prisoners were safe.
"I want to stop my clients getting beaten up. I want to stop them being supplied with things that harm them, like drugs, that are not coming from sources like lawyers."
Northland Region Corrections Facility Prison Director, David Pattinson, said he was not aware of the demand for remand in Ngawha from prisoners.
`Fight clubs' have been linked to Auckland's Serco prison.
Meanwhile, Mr Davis has accused Serco of a "cover-up" over an inmate who suffered two broken legs.
Mr Davis has made claims of prisoners being dropped off landings at Mt Eden prison as part of the institution's culture of violence. Serco has denied there is a practice of "dropping".
Yesterday, the Department of Corrections confirmed an inmate had broken both legs in February, after falling from a balcony - but said he was not "dropped".
