Fiji guard saves mate in prison shard attack

SOURCE

A LOCAL man employed as a prison guard overseas was described as a hero after he saved a fellow guard during an attack by inmates over the weekend. Detective Sergeant Roger Small of the Auckland Police Department said the incident happened on Saturday morning at Paremoremo prison.

Mr Small yesterday said the prison guard who was attacked by inmates was saved from further injury by an Indo-Fijian guard. He said the prison guard who was severely injured in the attack was a South African national.

"I would say the prison guard who saved him is almost like a hero to him," he said.

According to the New Zealand Herald the attack took place in Paremoremo's B block, a maximum and high to medium security area that houses some of the country's most dangerous inmates.

The Herald reported it was understood the guard was attacked after an inmate became extremely agitated when he was unable to make a telephone call. The victim was stabbed in the face and chest with an aluminium shard.

Herald reports said the Indo-Fijian guard was the main victim of the attack but Mr Small said otherwise. He said it was the South-African guard who suffered a fractured cheek-bone and was hospitalised.

"He was released from hospital and is recovering at home and it would be a while before he resumes duty. The other guard who saved him also received injuries," he said.

Mr Small said he would not be able to reveal the name and identity of the Indo-Fijian prison guard who saved the victim but said he was a hero of sorts.