Man due in court over Paremoremo hostage drama

A 46-year-old man is due to appear in court tomorrow charged with kidnapping after an incident at Paremoremo Prison on Friday in which a Corrections officer was held hostage for almost three hours.

Armed police ended the saga by storming the cleaners' storeroom where the female prison officer was allegedly held, after they began to fear for her safety.

She had been dragged into the room while she was walking down a corridor.

North Shore's Acting Area Commander, Inspector Gary Davey, said the man would face further charges related to the incident.

"The ultimate rescue of the Corrections Officer was brought about by the high level of co-operation between Police and Corrections staff," Inspector Davey said.

The Corrections Association earlier called for prison officers to be armed with batons and pepper spray, following the incident.

Corrections Association president Bevan Hanlon said it seemed the attack was planned, but that there was little staff could do to stop such incidents.

He said prison officers had no personal protection and need special permission even to use handcuffs.

Mr Hanlon said he had been working with the Corrections Department to change legislation so officers could be armed.

The Corrections Department has said its inquiry into the incident will look at whether the prisoner should have been ranked as medium security.

The terms of reference for the inquiry by Corrections' internal audit group includes a report "on the extent to which relevant standards, procedures, operational systems, work practices and internal controls consistent with maintaining security were in place and being complied with".

These include to "ascertain whether the prisoner involved in the incident was correctly classified and his levels of security and placement appropriate for this type of facility".

A draft report on the incident is expected to be ready by October 6.

- NZPA / NEWSTALKZB