An inmate threw faeces at a Corrections officer, a court has heard.
Gary Raymond Broadbent, 63, was sentenced in the Dunedin District Court yesterday to 21 months’ imprisonment after pleading guilty to threatening to kill, theft and assaulting a prison officer.
The court heard on February 18 a Corrections officer at Otago Correctional Facility attempted to give the defendant his breakfast through the cell meal flap.
The Corrections officer placed the food on the floor and the inmate threw rubbish out the flap.
As she was picking up the rubbish Broadbent threw brown bodily fluids that smelt of faeces and urine through the cell flap.
It got in the victim’s eyes, hair and in an open cut.
The incident that landed Broadbent in custody occurred on August 9 when the defendant went to a Dunedin clothing store and threw clothes on the floor before knocking over a display in the front window.
He approached the shopkeeper while swearing at her, then clenched his fists and aggressively held a lighter towards her.
Broadbent said he was going to come back with his mate and burn the store down.
The victim believed him and feared for her safety.
On his way out he put on a pair of shoes.
Police arrived and the defendant was arrested wearing the stolen shoes.
Counsel Anne Stevens KC said her client had disabilities and mental health issues and had been in custody for eight months.
"There’s limited value once he’s already spent a considerable amount of time in custody," Ms Stevens said.
"It is very much a hard sentence for him."
Judge David Robinson said the defendant spent 15 months in custody for a charge of threatening to kill in 2022, but accepted he was able to live an offence-free life.
