George Baker on trial for threatening to stab prison guards

George Charlie Baker appearing at Auckland District Court on a charge of threatening to harm a guard. Photo/ Doug Sherring

George Charlie Baker allegedly threatened to stab prison guards with a home-made shank, a court has heard.

Baker is defending a charge of threatening to do grievous bodily harm in a jury trial at the Auckland District Court.

The Crown alleges while Baker was shifting cells at Auckland Prison he pulled a shank out from under a blanket and told at least five guards:

"I'll stab you in the head."

But Baker's lawyer says he was acting in self defence.

Flanked by three security guards and handcuffed to one, Baker sat calmly in the dock throughout the proceedings.

He now has a skeletal hand pulling the middle-finger tattooed on the right side of his face which he turned to a Herald photographer when he took his picture.

Prosecutor Robin McCoubry said during his opening it was "beyond any doubt" that the threats were made and Baker intended them to be taken seriously given he had a weapon.

The jury this afternoon saw footage of the incident after the acting principal corrections officer at the prison, commonly known as Paremoremo, switched on her body cam.

In it, Baker is dressed in just a towel and waves a shank at guards with his right hand. He can be heard saying:

- "I'll kill one of youse."

- "I'll stab you in the head, c***."

- "I'm a man, Miss. I want to fight with the men."

- "I'm serious."

The prison guard told the court Baker had requested to change cells, which they were happy to allow.

On August 19, the guard and four others went to move Baker and he'd opted to take his mattress with him.

She said she'd spoken to him earlier in the day and had a "gentle talk" but when he returned from the shower he had a blanket over his arm.

Baker asked the female guard to leave and to go to the end of the unit and she asked him why and what he was thinking.

She said Baker told her he "wanted to sort the boys out".

She switched on her on-body camera when she saw the shank fall to the ground and Baker picked it up.

The recording lasts more than two minutes and after Baker calms down, he hands the weapon to the female guard and goes into his cell.

Another male guard can be heard saying:

- "No one's going to touch you George, take my word for it."

- "I gave you my Week-Bix."

- "It's Friday. We don't fight on Fridays."

- "You and I got smashed together. Remember that George."

Baker's lawyer, Annabel Cresswell, said the Crown had to prove Baker wasn't acting in self defence.

The two-day trial is set to finish tomorrow