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Murder accused Graeme Burton says he will do "whatever it takes" to be shot by the police and avoid serving time in jail, the prison officers' union says.
Burton's mobility has been severely compromised by the amputation of his right leg, an operation performed after he was wounded in a confrontation with armed police in the hills above Lower Hutt on January 6.
The convicted murderer and prison escaper had been on the run from Wellington police for several days after breaching parole. Burton is due to reappear in court next month charged with 23 offences, including the murder of Karl Kuchenbecker, the attempted murder of two mountain bikers, aggravated robbery, kidnapping and threatening to kill.
The burly 35-year-old lashed out at a Corrections officer on Tuesday when being taken from Wellington Hospital to Rimutaka Prison.
Burton was being escorted by three guards, two of whom were handcuffed to him. A fourth guard helped colleagues subdue Burton.
Corrections said the assault was not serious but Burton will face internal disciplinary action.
The Corrections Officer's union yesterday said Burton had made threats against prison officers.
"They were handcuffed to Burton, who has been telling them for a few days now that he doesn't want to go back to jail and he will do whatever it takes to be shot by the police," union president Beven Hanlon said.
"He seemed to be all right, but he then reiterated that if he saw armed police he was going to kill someone ... as the van leaves he said 'I'm going to kill one of you three. I know you and I know you'. Then he looks at the guy he attacked and says 'I don't know you, so it's not looking good for you'."
Burton snapped once he caught a glimpse of a police vehicle escorting the van and launched himself at the prison guard, Mr Hanlon said.
"Fourteen years of weight training in the prison system has made him quite the super criminal, so it took all four of them to hold him down, even without a leg," Mr Hanlon said.
Burton had already injured himself before the incident, smashing his head into the roof of the van while trying to get into the back unaided. His stump was knocked during the scuffle, and he was taken back to hospital to be checked before finally being taken to Rimutaka Prison.
"The staff involved did a great job under difficult circumstances and severe provocation," Mr Hanlon said.
"They think he doesn't realise that he's lost a leg yet and he thinks he can still take everyone out, because he's a fairly big kid."
Corrections yesterday confirmed that it had broken with usual practice in having three officers in the back of the van with Burton.
"The decision to have officers travel with the prisoner was made because that was the safest way to manage the prisoner," said Public Prisons Service general manager Harry Hawthorn.
There was no legislative requirement or regulation which precluded officers travelling in the vehicle with Burton, Mr Hawthorn said.
The incident would be reviewed to see what lessons could be learned to prevent a similar incident happening again, he said.
Corrections and the union are to meet tomorrow to discuss how Burton will be handled in the future.
