Former Corrections worker charged with kidnapping, assaulting boy

A former prison officer faces charges including assaulting and kidnapping a child. Photo / Belinda Feek

A former Corrections staffer has been charged with kidnapping a boy and repeatedly kicking, elbowing, punching and poking him in the face.

He also threatened to kill him, court documents allege.

The man, who has been granted interim name suppression, appeared at Hamilton District Court this morning in front of community magistrate Terry Bourke on a raft of charges that relate to an incident on Sunday.

The charges include taking the boy against his will causing him to be imprisoned, which has a maximum penalty of 14 years in prison.

Other charges related to punching the boy in the face five times, kicking and elbowing the boy in the face two times each and poking him three times with his finger.

His lawyer told the court the boy was not the man's child.

The man is listed on court documents as being a prison officer, but a Corrections spokesperson said this was incorrect.

"This person was not a Corrections officer, however was previously employed by the department."

The charges related to offending that allegedly occurred after he left employment with Corrections, the spokesperson said.

The man was remanded on bail and will next appear in Hamilton District Court on June 10.