An assault between prisoners at the Otago Corrections Facility has brought more jail time for two of the perpetrators.
Allan Waru Kukutai (36), unemployed, and Tu'uta Motuliki (22), scaffolder, both of Dunedin, appeared before Judge Michael Crosbie in the Dunedin District Court yesterday on a joint charge of wounding Samuel Storm White with intent to injure him at the Milburn jail on November 3 last year.
With fellow prisoner Rawiri David Wereta they approached Mr White in an exercise yard of the jail, despite being told by corrections officers not to enter the yard.
Wereta removed a modified pen from the front of his trousers and as the victim tried to take it from him they started to fight.
Wereta, Kukutai and Motuliki punched and kicked Mr White to the ground, then stomped on his head and body as he lay in the foetal position.
The attack continued after Mr White lost consciousness and he ended up with broken ribs and damaged teeth.
''This was serious violence, there was serious injury, there was attacking to the head and there were multiple attackers. Corrections officers were close by and it shows disregard for the rules of prison, the health of the victim and the authority of the corrections officers,'' Judge Crosbie said.
He sentenced Kukutai to prison for three years, nine months and two weeks.
Motuliki, who was considered to be slightly less culpable in relation to the assault, received a three-year jail sentence.
Judge Crosbie said Kukutai had eight previous convictions for serious violence, including two for robbery, and the probation service considered his likelihood of reoffending to be high, as well as his risk to others.
''You say you struggle with anger-management issues,'' he told Kukutai.
Judge Crosbie said Motuliki was also considered highly likely to reoffend, although his relevant criminal history of violence was ''more modest''.
''You regarded the victim as a bossy person and you were waiting for an opportunity to assault him. You came to Dunedin after your family sent you away from Auckland to get away from your offending.''
Wereta had already been sentenced in respect of the incident.
