Spring Hill prison guards bashed in bloody, unprovoked attack

Two Spring Hill prison officers were injured, one seriously, after an attack by three inmates including Waikato man Krome Wilson, 23. Photo / Wayne Drought

As an inmate began punching a Corrections Officer for no reason, convicted burglar Krome Wilson approached a second prison guard from behind and started punching him in the side of the head.

The force knocked the second Spring Hill prison officer to the ground, while Wilson ran off and grabbed a plastic chair before joining up with his co-offender.

The scuffle would ultimately see one prison guard with broken teeth, a fractured right eye socket and cuts and scratches, while the other had bruising to his face as a result of punches from Wilson’s co-offender.

Wilson - who was serving a 10-month jail term for burglary at the time - appeared in the Hamilton District Court on Friday for sentencing on a charge of wounding with intent to injure.

The unprovoked attack happened on the afternoon of September 7, 2022, when the victims were helping other staff return prisoners to their cells after yard time.

One of the guards was holding the cell door open for two of Wilson’s co-offenders when the second prisoner punched him in the face and head.

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He used his pepper spray and the prisoner ran off.

As staff were trying to restrain that prisoner, Wilson approached a prisoner from behind and started throwing punches to the side of his head.

The force knocked the officer to the ground and Wilson ran off to join up with his co-offender, grabbing a plastic chair along the way.

Both prisoners faced off with staff and saw Wilson threatening to throw the chair, continually raising then lowering it.

The stand-off lasted a few minutes and more staff arrived before Wilson threw the chair and charged at the officer he’d earlier attacked.

A third prisoner then approached the same prison guard and punched him in the head several times.

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All three prisoners were eventually brought under control, and the prison guard was left with blood dripping from his face.

Judge Noel Cocurullo jailed Wilson for 18 months on the charge which will be added on top of the time he was serving for burglary.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for nine years and has been a journalist for 20.