Family of teenager felt he should 'experience prison'

The family of a teenager who died after he was attacked while being transported to jail say they had decided he should experience the consequences of breaking the law.

Liam Ashley, 17, was fatally bashed in the back of a Chubb security van on Thursday in front of 12 other prisoners.

He was being taken to the Mt Eden Remand Prison from North Shore District Court.

He died in hospital yesterday and the police have launched a homicide investigation.

Radio New Zealand today reported that in a statement, Mr Ashley's family revealed the teenager had taken a car without his parents' permission, and they decided to press charges in an attempt to stop his worsening behaviour.

Mr Ashley was offered bail, but his family decided he should go to prison and experience the serious consequences of breaking the law.

The Ashley family says Liam suffered extensive brain damage after being strangled -- and they are devastated by his tragic death.

Radio NZ said the family had questions it wanted answered, including why Chubb Security transfers prisoners, whether its procedures were adequate and why a 17-year-old with no history of violence was in direct contact with what they believe were more serious offenders.

Police today confirmed only two of the 14 prisoners being taken to Mt Eden Prison were locked in the same compartment as the teenager.

Police said it was a "safe assumption" they were looking at a murder or manslaughter charge but no one was likely to be charged today.

Detective Senior Sergeant Greg Cramer would also not rule out charges being laid against prisoners locked in the other three compartments of the van.

"The van was divided into four separate compartments and the compartment in which Liam was house contained two other prisoners.

Mr Cramer said police were still speaking to the two prisoners who were locked in the same compartment as Ashley.

They were cooperating "to a degree".

"The best I can say is the inquiry is progressing well."

He said police were not looking for anyone else or a weapon.

The Department of Corrections said the Inspectorate - a team which acts independently of the Public Prisons Service - would also investigate.

Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor was "deeply shocked" by the death, and said it "raised serious questions about the level of appropriate protection offered to this young man".

Mr O'Connor was waiting for a report on the incident, a spokesman said last night.

Chubb, the private security firm contracted to carry prisoners, is also investigating.

The Department of Corrections contracts Chubb to transport prisoners between courts and prisons.

Chubb managing director John Cleary said an internal investigation was being carried out, but the company's contract with Corrections prevented him from commenting.

Asked how many guards were in the van, he said: "There would be normally two guards."

Liam Ashley was remanded in custody when he appeared in the North Shore District Court on charges of burglary and unlawfully taking a motor vehicle.

The prisoners were driven from the North Shore District Court to Waitakere District Court in Henderson, and then on to the remand facility, next to Mt Eden Prison in Lauder Rd.

Liam's family met police yesterday to discuss the homicide investigation.

Mr Ashley said Liam was before the court on matters relating to a "family issue", but would not elaborate.

The teenager was a student at Birkenhead College, but only briefly.

Birkenhead principal Jim Mathewson said Liam was at the school for one term two years ago and then "went to work".

"That's all I can say at the moment," Mr Mathewson told the Herald.

"The family are really cut up and our thoughts are with them. It's a real tragedy."

Liam's parents, Ian and Lorraine, had been at the hospital from Thursday night until Liam died at 10.45am yesterday, Mr Ashley said.

"It is just very, very tragic," he said. "A tragic day."

Police said an autopsy was done yesterday afternoon, and their investigation was continuing.