Six young prisoners today pleaded guilty to rioting in Upper Hutt's Rimutaka Prison.
Two others pleaded not guilty and one entered no plea when they appeared in Wellington District Court.
One failed to appear, and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
A depositions hearing for the 10
men started this week.
They were charged following an incident in May where rooms at the Upper Hutt prison were barricaded, property destroyed and vandalised and inmates climbed onto a prison roof and allegedly hurled various objects at staff.
The incident disrupted the prison's youth block for about five hours and caused an estimated $400,000 worth of damage.
All face charges of rioting and destroying property. Falcon Samuels faces a charge of assault with a blunt instrument and Teariki Malloy faces a kidnapping charge.
Samuels, Malloy, Navarre Harbour, Ricki McQueen and Corey Douglas all pleaded guilty and were remanded in custody until February 1.
Danny Joseph Ryder also pleaded guilty and was remanded on bail until sentencing on February 1.
Graham Aspinall and Tony Takiari both pleaded not guilty and were remanded in custody for a callover on February 12.
Raniera Wirihana entered no plea and was remanded on bail to reappear tomorrow.
Michael Best did not appear in court today and a warrant was issued for his arrest.
- NZPA
