KEY POINTS:
RSA triple-killer William Bell has got offside with his fellow prisoners by bragging about his crime and the "preferential treatment" he gets because he is serving New Zealand's longest prison sentence.
Bell has angered his fellow maximum-security inmates by getting more face-to-face contact visits than they do, at
which he claims to eat his way through hampers of food.
One has complained to management at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo, where Bell is serving 30 years without parole for the murders, - which happened six years ago this month.
Susan Couch, the only survivor of Bell's attack, said Corrections should investigate the prisoner's claims.
"As far as his bragging, I think people will know how I feel," she said.
The prisoner, who is held under preventive detention and admits to being "no saint", has even turned to the Sensible Sentencing Trust for help to get prison management to bring Bell into line.
"I am sick of the preferential treatment he receives due to his length of sentence," said the prisoner, who asked not to be identified.
"I despise Bell for what he done, for him bragging about his crime, for him bragging about how he gets special treatment due to his sentence. You should know about it and ask why."
Bell's maximum-security wing has been described as a "holiday camp" by a guard, who said "prisoners run the place", with Bell and double-murderer Graeme Burton constantly threatening staff.
A Corrections spokesman denied the prisoner's allegations. Contact visits took place in front of guards and in a room where other prisoner visits were going on. Food was contraband.
Ms Couch said Corrections should investigate the prisoner's claims, at least because, "let's face it, the Government pays compensation when an inmate's feelings are hurt or they are feeling mistreated".
She said she was still waiting for a legal ruling that would give her the right to sue Corrections, alleging it was negligent because Bell was on parole when he committed the murders.
She said she had to account for every cent she spent, and had no ACC lump-sum payment for the injuries that should have killed her.
One of Bell's family disputed the prisoner's claim, saying a weekly telephone call to his mother and occasional visits were the only contact he had with the outside world.
The family member said Bell, although allowed, had not come out for the tangi of his younger brother Michael, who had died in a car crash since his conviction. Nor did he go to the tangi for his aunt, Angela Tahana, who was murdered in April last year.
The family member said food could not be taken on visits. "If we could, I would be taking him up some cake or chocolates for Christmas."
