One of the victims suffered a broken nose, while another targeted during the incident at the Otago Corrections Facility on October 30 last year said he "felt like his body has been run over by a steam roller" the next day.
O’Shay Harlem Pennicott (22) and Junior Paul Pule (30) appeared before the Dunedin District Court yesterday after admitting two charges of injuring by unlawful act.
Pule was also convicted of two additional assault charges.
The defendants were housed in unit 34 at the Otago Corrections Facility with 15 other high-risk prisoners, according to court documents.
Pule, who worked as a cleaner approached a guard to request bin bags which he needed for his duties but instead there was an argument about his attire.
Without warning, he punched the victim.
A second Corrections officer attempted to intervene as Pennicott waded in.
The two officers found themselves cornered in the staff base and "with no means of escape, they had no choice but to hunker down and protect their heads", the court heard.
While Pule delivered 20 "forceful left and right hooks, and hammer punches", Pennicott threw 15 blows.
The melee attracted two other guards who pepper-sprayed the prisoners.
Pennicott staggered away but Pule started to throw punches at a female officer who had entered the fray. Her male colleague stepped in and took a punch in the face before the inmate was again pepper-sprayed until he retreated. Even while fighting its effects, Pule continued to act aggressively.
The court heard how the four embattled victims sheltered in the staff base until back-up arrived.
"After some negotiation the defendant and other prisoners were returned to their cells without further incident," police said.
Judge Raoul Neave said it was predictable that both defendants had become entrenched in a criminal lifestyle.
Pule was born in Samoa and adopted by an aunt who took him to Australia as a New Zealand citizen.
When he was deported under "501" legislation, the judge said he was set up to fail.
"[It] effectively dumped him back in New Zealand without the remotest level of support so it’s hardly surprising he fell into a life of crime and bad company," he said.
A cultural report on Pennicott detailed the "most appalling catalogue of abuse and neglect I’ve seen in a while", Judge Neave said.
"If you wanted to create a recipe to create a lifelong criminal this is it," he said.
"You quickly became fodder for the gang life. The depressing reality is they probably gave you the strongest feeling of family you’ve ever had, which is an appalling thing to say."
Pennicott, who displayed "not a shred of remorse", had 17 months added to his prison term while Pule was sentenced to two years’ intensive supervision and six months’ community detention, to be served at a residential rehabilitation facility.
Judge Neave refused the Otago Daily Times’ application to photograph the defendants.
