"Terror" Accused To Be Transferred Before Appeal

Wednesday, 24 October 2007, 3:11 pm
Article: Alastair Thompson

Wellington "Terror" Accused About To Be Transferred - Before Appeal Is Heard

By Alastair Thompson

The defence team for four Wellington detainees is experiencing "bizarre" obstructions in the court and prison system in their attempts to represent the interests of their clients who have now been held in Prison for 10 days.

Lawyer Michael Bott who represents a 22-year-old musician who is presently incarcerated at Rimutaka Prison said the conduct of the case "appeared bizzarre" to him.

Greatly distressing friends and family of the accused the Corrections Department appears to be about to transfer the Wellington detainees to Auckland Remand Prison (possibly tonight or first thing tomorrow morning) where one of their fellow "terror" accused, Aucklander Jamie Lockett, was assaulted over the weekend.

Mr Bott's client is due to attend a depositions hearing in Wellington - with another of the accused - on October 30th. His appearance is not required in Auckland till November 1st and 2nd.

The transfer appears to be about to proceed in spite of an appeal lodged by the detainees to the High Court and complaints from the accused.

Meanwhile although the decision of Judge Bruce Davidson to allow the prison transfer (against the wishes of the detainees) and to refuse bail was made last Friday in the District Court, and appealed immediately, a date to hear an appeal of this decision in the High Court has not yet been set.

By way of contrast the crown managed to get the High Court in Auckland to hear an appeal of the successful bail application made by Jamie Lockett last week on the same day. The High Court overturned the District Court bail decision and Mr Lockett was re-arrested.

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Over the weekend Mr Lockett was assaulted at the Auckland Remand Prison and taken to hospital. According to the Corrections Department he has declined to make a complaint about the assault.

Also strange and unusual, the decision of Judge Davidson, delivered in court to the stenographer, has not yet been made available to counsel. Meanwhile In Rotorua the bail decision denying Tame Iti bail has finally been delivered to lawyers a week after being made.

All aspects of Judge Bruce Davidson's decision have been suppressed

The concerns about safety in Auckland's remand prison for the accused are exacerbated by news that another "terror" detainee, 28-year-old Rongomai Bailey was present when his cellmate had his nose broken. Bailey was granted bail yesterday by Judge Josephine Bouchier.

Also in prison in Auckland - albeit in a youth detention facility - is a 19-year-old student.

ENDS

Alastair Thompson

Scoop Publisher

Alastair Thompson is the co-founder of Scoop. He is of Scottish and Irish extraction and from Wellington, New Zealand. Alastair has 24 years experience in the media, at the Dominion, National Business Review, North & South magazine, Straight Furrow newspaper and online since 1997. He is the winner of several journalism awards for business and investigative work.

Contact Alastair Thompson

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