Women's prison worker quits over porn

A senior staff member at the new South Auckland women's prison has resigned after an investigation into his activities on the internet.

The Weekend Herald understands the man was caught downloading pornography last week and placed on special leave on Monday. A source said the man was told on Tuesday he should consider resigning or the case would be handed to the police.

Corrections Auckland Regional Manager Warren Cummins said the department had received a resignation from a employee at the women's prison this week.

"Corrections can confirm a staff member at Auckland Region Women's Corrections Facility resigned during the course of an investigation into the use of internet facilities.

"For privacy reasons we cannot provide details of this case."

It is understood the staff member was caught during routine internet and email checks.

Mr Cummins said Corrections regularly monitored internet access and email use on all its computers.

He said staff were aware of what was acceptable internet use. It was outlined in the department's Code of Conduct, which staff signed when they were employed.

The department would not confirm what kind of internet use has resulted in the resignation. Nor would it say what position the staff member held at the prison - which opened in March and accepted its first prisoners last month.

It is understood, however, that only management staff have internet access, so it was unlikely the employee was a prison warder or guard.

Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor said he was not aware of the resignation or any investigation into unacceptable internet access. He would, however, ask for a full report.

National Law and Order spokesman Simon Power said the resignation was yet another embarrassment for the Department of Corrections.

"Corrections just continue to lurch from crisis to crisis," Mr Power said.

"It's time that this department was shaken from the head right down to the bottom. The public, like me, must just be shaking their heads and asking what's coming next."

The Department of Corrections has recently come under fire for a $140 million budget blowout in the construction of two new prisons and the installation of underfloor heating in four prisons.

More recently questions have been raised about the way young prisoners are transported to and from court following the murder of 17-year-old Liam Ashley in the back of a prison van. Several investigations are under way following the murder.