Gillies on new violence charges

John Wharemako Gillies. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Notorious criminal John Gillies faces fresh violence charges just one week after an application to have him recalled to prison was declined.

Gillies, who has 106 convictions, 34 of them for violence, made national headlines in 1993 for stabbing a Gisborne policeman in the back with a screwdriver.

The Mongrel Mob member appeared in the Hastings District Court yesterday and entered no plea to charges of assault with a weapon and injuring with intent to injure, following an incident on Wednesday night where it's alleged he used a stick in an attack.

He was also charged with breaching his release conditions.

On Wednesday last week he appeared in the same court and had charges of common assault, burglary and threatening behaviour dismissed. It is understood the prosecution witnesses failed to show up.

A parole board spokesperson yesterday said the board had no choice but to decline an application for his recall after the charges were withdrawn.

Earlier this week the victim of his 1993 stabbing, former police constable Nigel Hendrikse, who was left permanently disabled by the attack, said he backed a Government proposal allowing the High Court to issue "civil detention" orders to the worst sexual and violent offenders deemed to be at imminent risk of reoffending.

"He [Gillies] doesn't care about anyone else, he just wants to carry on doing what he wants to do ... I think he's had so many chances it's laughable," Mr Hendrikse said.

"He's got 106 convictions. People say a good criminal might only get caught 5 per cent of the time so if he's a good criminal, a clever criminal, that means he's committed maybe 2000 offences, so we're sick of him." He said he was "completely certain" Gillies had no desire to be a "normal guy".

In yesterday's appearance Gillies was remanded in custody by consent. He would reappear later this month.

Details of last week's parole board decision are expected to be made public later today.