Teen gang prospect's grim world: Living in a tent

The gang family were forced to live in a tent with their baby. Photo / Al Jazeera

Four years ago Sirius Anderson spoke up about his dreams to become the president of the Mongrel Mob.

He was featured in an Al Jazeera documentary, asking why New Zealand's imprisonment rates are among the worst in the developed world.

All his family members are in the gang, and his father and older brothers were all in prison at the time he was interviewed.

The 10-year-old told the crew that he had witnessed violence all his life, and felt powerless when his dad was beaten up by rival Black Power members.

He was living in a state house, with his unemployed mother. Until one recent visit, he hadn't seen his dad in years.

Sirius Anderson was featured in the documentary when he was 10-years-old.

The Al Jazeera journalist asked him if he thought he might end up in jail one day. "Yup," he responded. "Cause I might get into a fight with the n*****s and I might kill them."

He also described witnessing his father abuse his mother.

"My dad had the chair up against my mum's throat, and my sister broke it up, and the police came and arrested my dad."

Sirius Anderson, now aged 14.

Four years later the documentary-makers revisited Sirius, as he was about to turn 15, to find out if anything had changed.

His dad was released from jail, went back to jail, and was then released.

Both his parents lost their houses - and his entire family of six were all forced to live in a tent.

The gang family were forced to live in a tent with their baby. Photo / Al Jazeera

"We were all living in this, but before this tent, we had two little tents," Sirius said.

"We were homeless for ages, we always hoped we would get a house, and we finally got one two weeks ago.

The tent where the family of six were forced to live.

"We had a new born baby living with us in the tent - my little sister."

Sirius made a stark admission: that he still thought prison was his future.

"I just know that I'm going to go there, all of my brothers have been there, my dad's been there, my uncle has been there, I just know I'm going to go there."