RSA triple killer William Bell takes Corrections to court over security classification last year

RSA murderer William Bell at the Auckland High Court today for a judicial review about his security reclassifications last year. Photo / Alex Burton

A notorious killer has apologised for his crimes at the start of an Auckland court hearing as he launches his case against Corrections.

William Dwane Bell became one of the country's most high-profile murderers when he killed three people and wounded a fourth at the Mt Wellington-Panmure RSA in December 2001.

Mary Hobson, 44, Wayne Johnson, 56, and William Absolum, 63, were killed during the robbery.

He also seriously injured Susan Couch, who worked part time doing the club's accounts.

"I am not proud of what I did. I committed a horrendous crime," Bell told the High Court at Auckland today.

"That is reprehensible in any society."

He said there were no words to atone for the suffering he had caused.

"But I am truly sorry for what I have done," he said.

Bell is representing himself in a case against Corrections in which he alleges he was wrongfully reclassified a maximum security prisoner.

He lost his kitchen job as there was an anonymous allegation he was going to poison staff, the court heard.

Then somebody called Crimestoppers alleging Bell was planning to take a hostage in a bid to escape.

Bell argued Corrections failed to properly investigate the allegations.

Bell said the rule of law applies to everyone - sinners and saints and all in between.

The law does not require someone to have led a "blameless life" to qualify for protection.

"Human rights are universal."

Public officials were "not immune" from the law which was in itself what granted them power, he said.

"When the rules of the law are ignored or broken they must be held to account for their actions as much as any other person is held accountable for theirs."

Bell told the court he had maintained a low-medium security classification without issue from 2016 until partway through last year.

This was changed to maximum until the investigations were completed.

His case against Corrections is a judicial review of his reclassifications last year.

Bell, who is currently classified at low-medium again, said there was no proof he was hatching a plan to escape.

He claims details of individual truck licence plates were written in his notebook to keep track of what role each truck was performing at the prison's new build.

"I was one of the essential workers in that kitchen," he said.

Phillip John Smith's name and bank account number was also written down in the notebook, the court heard.

But Bell said it was a note to make sure he repaid Smith. That note was not Bell's handwriting, he said.

"That's Phillip John Smith's writing," he said.

Murderer and child sex offender Phillip John Smith escaped prison in 2014 and fled to Brazil but was recaptured. Photo / File

Bell told the High Court he had no intentions of escaping prison.

"I have done 20 years in this place."

There was now light at the end of the tunnel, he said.

Honor Lanham, counsel assisting the court, said prisoners were entitled to clear reasoning when there were changes in security classification.

She said Bell was challenging three decisions involved in his reclassifications last year - first the move to high, then maximum and then down to high again.

Helen Carrad, a lawyer acting for Corrections, said they maintained the decisions and the process followed were fair, lawful and proportionate.

If he had escaped he would be an "extremely high risk", she said.

There had also been an allegation Bell was using his job in the laundry to pass drugs and was asking other prisoners for shanks, she said.

The case will continue tomorrow.