Struck-off lawyer Davina Reid, who recently married rapist and murderer Liam Reid, was refused entry to Auckland Prison when visiting her husband yesterday - despite her claims a senior Corrections officer recognised her at the gate.
Speaking to the Herald on Sunday, Reid said the officer who refused her entry had been present at her jailhouse wedding.
He was jailed for raping and killing deaf woman Emma Agnew in Christchurch in 2007, and the rape, attempted murder and robbery of a 21-year-old student in Dunedin nine days later.
Davina Reid, nee Murray, was a budding Auckland defence lawyer, but lost her legal career after smuggling an iPhone, cigarettes and a lighter to her then client Liam in 2011 while he was in Mt Eden Prison.
A Corrections spokesperson confirmed Davina was refused entry to the prison because she failed to produce photo ID during her weekly Saturday morning visit.
Davina said she is in the process of changing her name on her driver's licence and passport and attempted to use a temporary driver's licence as ID.
She said during last week's visit she used the temporary licence and it was accepted by Corrections.
"[Yesterday] when I arrived, the officer just refused to accept it as valid ID. If that is the case then why was I allowed to use it last week?
"What I find kind of funny is that I'm known to the jails and this guy actually attended our wedding. So he knows me."
She said when she arrived at the prison the guard said "good morning, Mrs Reid", to which she replied, "we actually need to arrange to have my name changed because on your list you still have me as Davina Murray".
"To be honest with you, it's just institutional bullying," she told the Herald on Sunday.
The Corrections spokesperson said no visitor is allowed entry to the prison without photo ID.
"A staff member followed the correct procedure in this case ... She returned sometime later with photo ID and was allowed entry to the prison.
"We are not aware of any formal complaint."
Davina returned with her passport, which still displayed her previous name of Murray, which she said was surprising to be accepted as a valid form of ID.
Her temporary refusal from Auckland Prison also comes on the back of a complaint to the Independent Police Conduct Authority, the Herald on Sunday can reveal.
She made the official complaint to police following safety fears due to publicity of her jailhouse wedding.
The Herald on Sunday has viewed a copy of Davina's July 25 complaint to the IPCA against a police sergeant who she claims "failed to reasonable act in accordance with his duties".
She said the sergeant refused to write a statutory declaration for her personal details not to be published on the public NZ electoral roll following two phone calls on July 24 and 25.
"I explained that my marriage has received manifestly excessive media attention and the last time that this occurred I received death and rape threats," she wrote.
"These threats were reported and provided to the CIB (Criminal Investigation Branch) team in Wellington. No charges were laid at that time as I was told they were unable to locate the sender of the emails.
"I had already advised the man I spoke to on 24 July, 2017 in this police station that my husband had received threats of violence and sexual assault allegations against me in the recent weeks from an inmate incarcerated in Auckland Prison."
The police letter to Davina Reid, dated yesterday, which acknowledged the potential prejudice to her safety. Photo / Supplied
She claimed when she informed the sergeant he said he was would not be willing to "sign his name to anything" unless she could produced evidence of threatening texts or emails.
"I said 'that's not the burden required here as that would establish grounds to lay a criminal charge'," she wrote in the report.
"[The sergeant] was adamant that it was the burden and he refused to complete a declaration. "
She further said the sergeant was "unprofessional and prejudicial in his communication style with me".
"He was rude and condensing and said 'you're a lawyer you should know this is what's needed'. His vocal tone increased and I ended up saying I would file this complaint because he was yelling at me."
Davina said the threats began following media stories about her wedding, with a Google search providing "sufficient evidence that the nation have made ad hominem views of my marriage".
"It is not far fetched for any reasonable police officer to ascertain this publicity has prejudiced my personal safety," she said.
"Furthermore taking into account the previous formal complaint made to the police in 2012-2013 - which I also note [the sergeant] did not even look for."
She said she also referenced that her address had been referred to in a Heraldarticle.
"Although blacked out the actual street address, mentioned the area I reside in."
The marriage certificate for Davina Reid and killer Liam Reid. Photo / Supplied
She said she considered the sergeant's refusal to write the declaration to be "prejudicial and a breach of his duty as a police officer".
"He failed to reasonably act in accordance with his duties. His level of professionalism was grossly inadequate and he needs to be trained on his interpersonal skills."
However, she told the Herald on Sunday she has since received a letter from a different police officer stating that her safety or that of her family could be prejudiced by having her details published in the electoral roll.
"It's what I asked for from the first sergeant who refused to give it," she said of the letter dated yesterday from a senior sergeant.
"She just followed the law and gave me the letter.
"You know judges and police officers [request to be on the unpublished roll], it's a really standard procedure. If you don't want to have your name on the published roll then you can have it on the unpublished roll."
Police said they had not yet received the IPCA complaint so could not comment on the issue.
Reid's husband must serve 23 years in prison before he is eligible for parole.
