Prisoner seriously burned in assault involving bin filled with boiling water, salt and sugar at Whanganui Prison

A prisoner is receiving ongoing treatment for severe burns after an assault at Whanganui Prison involving a rubbish bin filled with boiling water, salt and sugar.

Jahrome Simon was sentenced to seven and a half years’ imprisonment when he appeared in the Whanganui District Court last week after admitting charges related to the assault and threatening and violent behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend.

The 24-year-old pleaded guilty to five charges including threats to kill, attempting to pervert the course of justice, unlawfully being in an enclosed yard or area, commission of a crime with a firearm and throwing an injurious substance.

On August 22, 2023 Simon was on remand in Whanganui Prison when he saw the victim making a phone call in the prison telephone booth, the court heard.

A prisoner has been taken to Hutt Hospital for treatment of severe burns after being attacked by another prisoner at Whanganui Prison.

Simon collected a rubbish bin from his cell and asked the Corrections officer for access to the unit kitchen.

Inside the kitchen, he filled up the rubbish bin with a mixture of boiling water, salt and sugar. He then walked over to the phone booth and poured it over the victim.

A corrections officer was also partially hit with the boiling water due to his proximity to the victim.

The victim was taken to the prison medical centre for treatment and suffered severe burns to his face, neck, chest, torso, right arm, right leg and right foot.

At the burns unit in Hutt Hospital, the victim had to undergo further skin grafting, during which skin was taken from his left leg to put on his right foot.

Treatment for the victim’s burns is ongoing.

Simon also faced charges relating to his threatening and violent behaviour towards his ex-girlfriend.

On October 25, 2022, after collecting the last of his belongings from his ex-girlfriend’s house, Simon returned to the address with a shotgun.

He pointed it at the victim, threatened to shoot her and took her cellphone to prevent her from calling the police.

Upon leaving the house he fired a shot at the house, causing the victim to scream at her children to get down on the ground.

During the sentencing, Judge Justin Marinovich acknowledged the difficult upbringing Simon had experienced in early life.

“Your upbringing was somewhat horrendous.”

Judge Marinovich described how Simon would hide with his siblings in their bedroom during his father’s violent episodes towards his mother.

He was also exposed to his father’s methamphetamine addiction at a young age and was first offered the drug around his 16th birthday, which then led to him also becoming addicted.

The solace from his turbulent home was his grandparents’ house; they had loved and sheltered him during his childhood.

“She [Simon’s grandmother] thinks of you as a good person but the methamphetamine has ruined your life.”

The defendant’s lawyer Megan Jaquiery wanted to take into account relative youth but was not seeking a discount for remorse.

Judge Marinovich allowed a 15% reduction for the defendant’s personal mitigating circumstances but declined to give an allowance for youth.

He highlighted Simon’s continuing affiliation with the Nomads gang as reasons for him having lower prospects of rehabilitation.

“Prospects of rehabilitation aren’t going to occur whilst you’re still in the Nomads.

“It’s a guess and a hope, but non-existent when he’s involved in a gang.”

Crown prosecutor Nandini Turner said there had been a lot of violence throughout the defendant’s life.

“He’s seen violence throughout his upbringing and then has perpetuated that same violence.”