Questions raised over violent criminal's accomodation

The Government has been called on to explain why a violent criminal has been placed in a minimum-security "chalet" six years before his prison sentence is due to end.

Mongrel Mob member Warren Te Hei is serving time at Hawke's Bay Prison for attempted murder inside prison, and armed robbery.

He is regarded as so dangerous that the Corrections Department took the unusual step of obtaining an order against his release after serving two-thirds of his sentence, due to end in 2012.

The order must be reviewed every six months and can result in violent criminals serving their full sentence. However, Te Hei is now living in a self-care, chalet-style unit outside the main prison with other inmates preparing for release.

The 20-bed unit has its own tennis and basketball courts. Inmates have televisions in their rooms and wear civilian clothes. Many are allowed to go out to work or shop for groceries.

National law and order spokesman Simon Power has called on the Government to explain why Te Hei was in "something approaching a motel in the Hawke's Bay countryside''.

New Zealand First law and order spokesman Ron Mark said the situation called for a "please explain'' from Corrections to a select committee in the very near future.

Sensible Sentencing spokesman Garth McVicar earlier said he had no problem with rehabilitated prisoners finishing their sentences in the unit but that Te Hei was "a ticking time bomb".

He said the fact Te Hei was now living in a minimum-security chalet could be put down to encouragement by Corrections Minister Damien O'Connor for judges to find punishments other than jail.

"Word has gone out to lower the prison population," Mr McVicar said.

"They are saying from one mouth that we have to consider the safety of the community but they are putting pressure on the whole prison system, which is just about in panic mode."

Department of Corrections assistant general manager of operations Tony Howe said for privacy reasons Corrections would not comment on the circumstances of individual prisoners.

But he said inmates could be placed in the self-care units up to a year before their release date and a decision about the risk of their re-offending made nearer the due date.

Mr Howe added that serious violent offenders sentenced under the Criminal Justice Act were eligible for parole after two thirds of their sentence.

"Prisoners are not placed in self-care units unless there is some expectation that they will be released in the coming year," he said.

"The safety of the community is Corrections' prime concern. Every prisoner has to be released and Corrections has a responsibility to ensure that they are able to re-integrate back into the community, Mr Howe said.

Factors such as how they had handled life in the self-care unit would be taken into account he said.

Warren Te Hei was sentenced in 1993 to nine years in jail for armed robbery of a bank near Hastings.

In 1997, he was sentenced to another 10 years with his brother Sam Te Hei, also a Mob member, for attempting to murder a gang prospect in Auckland's Paremoremo Prison.

They stabbed Anesone Graham 10 times as he lay in his cell bunk with a broken leg, because he had refused to stab a prison officer as an initiation rite.

The Te Hei brothers were among nine prisoners who in 2000 received a share of $325,000 compensation for being beaten at Hawke's Bay Prison.

They are among 17 prisoners seeking compensation for being kept in solitary confinement in Paremoremo.

- HAWKES BAY TODAY / NZPA / HERALD ONLINE STAFF