Two more break out of court

By PAUL YANDALL

Investigators are trying to figure out how two Auckland prisoners escaped from a van at a district court - the second security breach at a court building in five days.

The two Auckland remand prisoners, one described as dangerous, escaped from a Chubb security van at the Auckland District Court about 8.30 am yesterday.

The incident comes after two men escaped from a holding cell and court building in Napier on Wednesday. The pair are still at large.

In yesterday's escape, the two prisoners fled from the court's loading bay area for prisoners in Federal St.

Eru Andrew Stevens, aged 35, and Jason Dempster, 27, had just been transported from the Auckland Central Remand Prison.

Police describe Stevens as dangerous. He was facing charges of aggravated robbery and grievous bodily harm. Dempster was to have appeared on fraud charges.



Police spokeswoman Noreen Hegarty said the pair were not yet in police custody when they escaped.

Auckland District Court manager Lucy Harper said the escape was puzzling, given the security involved in the transfer of prisoners.



It was unclear how the pair got out, but investigators were looking into whether the court's security doors were closed when the Chubb van's doors were opened.

"The proper procedure is that no van doors are open until the door is completely down."

No one was hurt in the incident.

Chubb NZ managing director John Cleary said the firm did not want to comment.

The Department of Corrections security manager, Ian Taylor, said Chubb had been contracted in 1998 to do court escort and supervision duties in the Auckland region.

He said it was inappropriate to comment further on the escape while it was being investigated.

Stevens is Maori, 1.65m tall, of medium build with black hair and brown eyes. Dempster is Pakeha, 1.85m, of medium build with brown hair and green eyes.

Napier police are still hunting Tei Bo Brown, 20, and John Mangaroa Pouaka, 27.

The pair managed to evade prison staff and a police cordon a few minutes after they were sentenced to eight years' jail for a home-invasion and aggravated robbery in Hastings.

Brown is considered dangerous.

A Corrections Department spokeswoman said both escapes were isolated incidents and there was no need to review overall security at courts.

Police are also seeking Stephen Hudson of Palmerston North in connection with a stabbing in the city in December and for failing to appear in court on drug-related charges.

They say Hudson, who may be in the Tauranga-Bay of Plenty area, is considered dangerous and should not be approached by members of the public.