Further jail for inmate's faxed death threat

An inmate who tried to get a prison guard to fax a death threat to a senior Hawke's Bay police sergeant has been sentenced to a further six months' jail time.

Daniel Thomas Rewi Nepia, 31, was serving a four month prison sentence for violence and driving related charges, when on September 29 he approached the guard at Hawke's Bay Prison and asked him to fax a hand written note to the police sergeant, Hawke's Bay Today reported.

The note, addressed to the "Senior Sargent", read: "I will shoot you in the face when I am able to do so. Before I do I shall take your family the way you have taken mine."

The prison officer kept the note and refused to fax it.

In Hastings District Court yesterday, Nepia pleaded guilty to a charge of threatening to do grievous bodily harm. His lawyer, Richard Stone, said he never intended to carry out the threat.

He claimed his client had known the sergeant for some time and felt betrayed that he had spoken to his partner.

Judge Bridget Mackintosh sentenced him to a cumulative six months on his current prison term.

- NZPA