Auckland, New Zealand – A violent attack at Auckland Prison’s high-security Paremoremo unit has led to increased sentences for two inmates, highlighting ongoing concerns about gang violence within the country’s prison system. The incident, which took place on September 20, 2023, involved a coordinated assault on a fellow prisoner, reportedly as part of a gang-related revenge plot.
Taneti Karaitiana and another inmate, identified as Moataane, both members of the Mongrel Mob gang, were found guilty of the brutal attack that left the victim, Tear Euini, with severe injuries. The attack unfolded in two consecutive assaults, despite the presence of CCTV in the exercise yard. Prison staff reportedly did not intervene between the first and second assaults.
The judge condemned the actions of the attackers as “totally unacceptable,” imposing additional prison time on top of their current sentences. The violent episode began when Karaitiana, along with an accomplice who is still awaiting trial and maintains his innocence, approached Euini. Karaitiana admitted to punching and kicking Euini in the head before his accomplice allegedly stabbed the victim repeatedly with a shank, a makeshift stabbing weapon commonly crafted in prisons.
Euini sustained heavy bleeding from multiple stab wounds to his head and neck, in addition to being punched and kicked by Karaitiana continuously during the ordeal. Following the initial assault, three other inmates, including Moataane, were accused of observing and celebrating the violence, only to join in during the subsequent attack.
Recounting the brutality, authorities described how Euini was cleaned up from his wounds, only to be attacked again half an hour later by Moataane and another inmate. They punched him in the head, and soon all five assailants were involved, stomping on his head and torso until prison staff finally intervened.
This is not the first episode of violence linked to these individuals. The group has been involved in previous violent offenses, both inside and outside the prison environment. For instance, another co-defendant, Moses Hurrell, had previously been sentenced for attacking a cancer patient during a robbery, an act committed when he was just 16.
In the latest sentencing, the judge highlighted the extensive history of violent offending by both Karaitiana and Moataane, noting their ongoing allegiances to gang culture which poses a significant risk to their reformation and poses a danger to others. In his verdict, the judge imposed a cumulative extension to their sentences, reflecting the gravity of the offenses and the need to deter such gang-related activities within prison walls.
The condition of the victim post-attack was dire, with significant injuries requiring immediate medical attention. This case has once again brought to light the severe implications of gang affiliations and violence in New Zealand’s prisons, raising questions about security measures and the rehabilitation processes available to high-risk inmates.
Legal experts suggest that such cases underscore the challenges of managing gang dynamics within the penal system and highlight the necessity for targeted interventions to address the root causes of gang affiliation and violence. Meanwhile, the community and families involved continue to grapple with the consequences of such violent acts, which reverberate far beyond the prison walls.
As New Zealand continues to confront these complex challenges within its criminal justice system, the outcomes of cases like these will likely influence the ongoing strategies employed by prison authorities to curb violence and provide pathways for inmate rehabilitation. The hope is to eventually mitigate gang influence in prisons, though as this case shows, much work remains to be done.