<br />04.09.2004<br />By STUART DYE <br /><br />Up to $4.5 million could be paid to 200 of the country's most dangerous criminals, based on a judge's ruling that one month under harsh conditions in solitary confinement is worth $2500. <br /><br />Murderers, armed robbers and other prisoners considered maximum security risks were among those held under Auckland Prison's Behaviour Management Regime. <br /><br />Justice Ronald Young ruled that five men were held unlawfully in a system that did not treat them with the "humanity and inherent dignity due every person". <br /><br />He awarded the five compensation totalling $130,000, ruling that $2500 a month was a "reasonable benchmark" for BMR victims. He also awarded them costs of $358,000. <br /><br />The ruling sets a precedent for about 200 other convicted criminals now planning legal action. <br /><br />Wellington lawyer Tony Ellis, who fought the original case, says the prisoners were held for an average of nine months each. <br /><br />This would mean a payout of $22,500 for each man - a total of $4.5 million. <br /><br />"These prisoners are victims of abuse by the prison system," said Mr Ellis. "It's time that system was sorted out." <br /><br />But the ruling has outraged many, who say criminals have the rights they take from their victims. <br /><br />Justice Minister Phil Goff said he found the High Court's decision "personally offensive" and would appeal. <br /><br />He is also investigating law changes to have compensation cash paid to the criminals' victims or their families. <br /><br />The Sensible Sentencing Trust said the payments were a "taxpayer-funded pig trough". <br /><br />It was absurd for the inmates to claim they had been psychologically tortured by the strict solitary confinement after the way they had treated their victims," said trust spokesman Garth McVicar. <br /><br />"They love terrorising and torturing defenceless victims, but when the tables turn they want to be protected by the law." <br /><br />Christopher Taunoa, who shot and killed Sanson publican Hugh Lynch in 1996, won the biggest payment, of $55,000, for more than two years in BMR. <br /><br />Not everyone believes the compensation is unreasonable. <br /><br />Green Party human rights spokesman Keith Locke said prisoners had the same rights as everyone else, whatever their crimes. Howard League for Penal Reform spokesman Nigel Hampton, QC, told NewstalkZB yesterday that the awards were a sign to the Corrections Department that it had to adhere to minimum standards of treatment<br />
<br /><br />In a nutshell, a number of convicted murderers (and similar) are getting paid cash compensation because they were held for periods of time in solitary confinement.<br /> <br />
