Waikato prison violence: Riot squad deployed in afternoon of assaults at Spring Hill

A violent afternoon at one of the country’s largest prisons on Sunday saw a Corrections staffer hospitalised and a specialist squad deployed.

Two staffers were assaulted on Sunday at Spring Hill Corrections Facility, prison director Scott Walker said in a statement.

In the first incident a prisoner who was on the phone suddenly began assaulting a staff member, Walker said.

A second prisoner then joined the attack.

The prison’s Site Emergency Response Team (SERT), a unit of prison officers specially trained for handling serious disorder, was deployed and both prisoners were restrained.

The men involved in the attack were taken to the prison’s management unit and were charged with misconduct.

“The main perpetrator will be moved to another prison,” Walker said.

As a result of the attack the staff member was taken to hospital for treatment of head injuries.

The second attack happened in the same unit as the first assault. Walker said a prisoner launched an attack on an officer during the prison lock-up period.

“Staff acted immediately to restrain the prisoner and relocate him to the management unit,” Walker said.

“He has been charged with misconduct and again the matter has also been referred to Police.”

Spring Hill Corrections Facility in Waikato. Photo / NZPA

The second staffer suffered facial injuries and also required medical treatment off-site, Walker said.

“Both staff are now recovering at home and our team have offered them ongoing support,” he said.

“Assaults on our staff are unacceptable. Corrections Officers come to work every day to keep New Zealanders safe. They do an exceptional and brave job in often very challenging circumstances.”

Spring Hill, near Meremere in Waikato, is among the New Zealand’s largest prisons. It had 754 prisoners as of March 2022, 10.1 per cent of the total prison population, of whom 439 men were on remand and 319 sentenced.

In 2013 it was the site of a major riot, when more than two dozen prisoners rampaged for nine hours, setting fire to two cell blocks and smashing cells with makeshift weapons. Three Corrections officers and two prisoners were injured.