Violent outburst nets more jail time

The violent outburst from Hipirini Brian Mead occurred when he was serving time at the Otago...
The violent outburst from Hipirini Brian Mead occurred when he was serving time at the Otago Corrections Facility near Milton. Photo: ODT files
A prisoner went berserk, breaking a phone and attacking guards, eventually being pepper-sprayed into submission, a court has heard.

Hipirini Brian Mead (23) was sentenced in 2013 to nearly eight years' imprisonment for sexually violating a 14-year-old girl in the bushes beside a Rotorua high school.

The victim was walking home alone when she was intercepted by Mead and his friends.

The four young men surrounded her, groping her, until Mead claimed her.

He forced her to the secluded spot and abused her while saying "this is how we do it Mongrel-style".

He then stole her bag and fled, leaving the girl injured and bleeding profusely.

Mead was declined early release in 2017, telling the Parole Board "jail is nothing".

His latest violent act came while he was serving his sentence at the Otago Corrections Facility on November 9.

At 11.30am, prisoners were being moved from the exercise yard into the cells when Mead became "non-compliant".

He threatened to kick out the windows so was locked in a secure area away from other prisoners.

In there, Mead kicked a phone numerous times, leaving it in several pieces.

He then threw the various shards at the lights and sprinkler heads in the room until water began pouring down.

Guards ordered him to stop but his outburst continued.

Officers wearing protective clothing and bearing shields forced their way into the room and were met by Mead who hurled a broken piece of phone at them, narrowly missing.

Corrections staff deployed pepper spray against the prisoner, police prosecutor Tim Hambleton said, and two of them were caught in the crossfire.

They were "badly affected", he said, and needed after-care to recover.

Defence counsel Pete Tuala said Mead had felt provoked after coming into contact with a prison guard on the walk back to his cell.

The inmate's actions were "particularly excessive", Judge Emma Smith said.

Mead had one month added to his prison term and shouldered the bill of $3882 for the damage he caused.

Comments

That's how they do it, Chokey style.

 

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