Escape report released

6 May 2005

The Department of Corrections has acted to address security issues identified in the investigation into an escape from Christchurch Prison last year.

Department of Corrections Chief Executive Barry Matthews says lessons learnt and actions taken following the escape of Peter Matehaere in October 2004 will reduce the risk of a similar escape happening again.

Peter Matehaere escaped from Christchurch Prison in the early hours of 31 October 2004. Mr Matehaere injured his arm on the fence's razor wire and sought medical treatment at Christchurch Hospital. On his arrival at the Hospital, he informed staff he was an escaped prisoner. Hospital staff immediately contacted the Police and Christchurch Prison, and Mr Matehaere was returned to custody.

"The investigation found internal security precautions in Christchurch Prison's East Wing were inadequate," says Mr Matthews.

"We take breaches of security extremely seriously and investigate them thoroughly. This investigation found we made mistakes that contributed to this escape.

"We have learnt valuable lessons and taken action to minimise the risk of this type of escape happening again."

Action taken by the Department includes:

• Implementation of a formal contractor and tool management procedure to ensure contractors' tools are secure.
• Ladders and climbing equipment are now treated as a hazard and are subject to documentation and audit.
• A full night watch review has been undertaken and revised written instructions have been issued to staff.
• A formal review is being undertaken of all units across the Christchurch and Rolleston Prison sites, to ensure various categories of inmates are being held in the most appropriate accommodation.
• The frequency of cell and bar checks has been increased in the East Wing.

"The Department has worked extremely hard to improve the security of its prisons. As a result, the escape rate has fallen from 35 breakout escapes in 1997/98 to nine in 2003/04. Unfortunately escapes are a fact of life for any prison environment and I know of no comparable jurisdiction that has a zero escape record," says Mr Matthews.