Dunedin inmate laughed about ‘pool of blood’ after gang-linked jail attack

Romeo Williams was sentenced in the Dunedin District Court over assaulting a fellow prisoner. Photo / George Heard

A prisoner who knocked a fellow inmate unconscious with a single unprovoked punch showed “appalling” lack of remorse after laughing about the blood he caused and making light of the sentencing process, a judge has said.

Romeo Williams, 24, was sentenced in the Dunedin District Court on Thursday after admitting to injuring by unlawful act during a gang-related incident in an exercise yard last year.

The offence occurred while Williams was already serving a substantial sentence for aggravated robbery.

Reading the summary of facts, Judge David Robinson said that on February 17 the victim was involved in a mutual fight with another inmate when Williams ran up from behind and struck him once to the head with a closed fist.

The blow rendered the victim immediately unconscious, and he lay motionless on the ground for about three minutes.

Judge Robinson said the victim was defenceless, had his back turned, and had no chance to protect himself.

While there were other injuries caused by a subsequent assault, Williams’ punch alone was “powerful enough to disrupt the normal functioning of [the victim’s] brain,” Judge Robinson said.

He described the attack as a “coward’s punch” and a calculated act of violence in a custodial setting, aggravated by gang involvement.

He said attacks to the head were always serious and, had the victim died, Williams would have been guilty of manslaughter.

As the judge read the summary of offending, Williams smirked in the dock.

Later in sentencing, Robinson drew an analogy to explain the vulnerability of the brain, likening it to the texture of chocolate mousse.

When the comparison was made, Williams interjected by saying, “When you eat it?”

Judge Robinson later told the defendant there was a broad pattern of his making light of the process.

The judge said the pre-sentence report showed Williams did not demonstrate remorse, instead attempting to justify the assault on the basis that he disliked seeing his associate lose a fight.

The report recorded that Williams said the attack made him feel good and that he appeared proud of the lacerations he caused.

Quoting the report writer, Judge Robinson said Williams laughed while describing the “pool of blood”, remarking that “if you can see the pool of blood, you would know”.

Judge Robinson said that attitude underscored a high risk of future violent offending and an escalation in danger to others.

“There is nothing particularly positive recorded,” he said, adding that the lack of remorse and pride taken in the violence were aggravating features.

Judge Robinson said comparable cases supported a 12-month starting point for an unprovoked assault causing unconsciousness.

After a 10% uplift for Williams’ prior violence and a 20% discount for his guilty plea, entered about five weeks after his first appearance, the judge imposed a sentence of 10 months and two weeks’ imprisonment, to be served cumulatively.

Ben Tomsett is a multimedia journalist based in Dunedin. He joined the Herald in 2023.