Prison officer jailed in spite of ‘fears’

Press, 29 March 1980, Page 4

Prison officer jailed in spite of ‘fears’

A former prison officer, who was said to fear for his safety if jailed, was sentenced to eight months imprisonment by Mr Justice Somers, in the Supreme Court yesterday. The former prison ■ officer. Wayne Douglas Adamson, aged 2,5, a national champion table tennis player, was found guilty by a jury on charges of wounding Duane Selwyn Laws with intent to injure and assaulting Kevin John'Cameron by throwing a beer bottle at him.

Evidence was given that the offences took place at a party in a flat in Hoon Hay Road on September 6. A friend of Adamson’s. Harry, Redmond, put his foot up the dress of one of two; women who were dancing together. The woman’s husband objected when Redmond put his hand up her dress, and Redmond and Adamson advanced on him. Adamson had said, “You’re history mate.” and hurled a beer bottle at him. He ducked and the hottie . smashed against the wall. Later Adamson came at Mr Laws with a knife as he (was on the ground at .-the (back of the flat. Mr Laws I put up his arm to shield 'himself and was stabbed a i couple of times in the hand.

Mr K. N- Hampton, for Adamson, said that the prisoner had no previous convictions. Both the probation officer and psychiatrist had referred to previous occasions when Adamson had been involved in violence, because of Redmonds ac-, lions, but it had never before reached this proportion. Because he went to help his friend. Adamson had ended up in serious trouble. The two men had been' drinking at the hotel throughout the day evening and Adamson had; ver\ r little recollection of events after he left the Bush Inn to go to the party. He 'was very confused when he (went to Redmond's aid with I the knife when he thought jhe was being attacked. 1 Adamson was genuinely remorseful for what he had done and on the night of the offences he bad returned to the party even before the [police arrived to inouire 'about the person he had injured. The incident had been a terrible shock for Adamson and he now had a realistic insight into his problem and realised the folly of carrying a pocket knife which he used to cut up fruit while on night shift. Adamson understood that he had to reduce his drinking and had severed his friendship with Redmond, who had been a bad in-

fluence on him. He had to wait six months for the trial and spent 10 days in custody after'being found guilty. ' Six of those days had been spent in the maximum security block at Paparoa jprison where he had been kept in solitary confinement in his cell for 23 hours a dav. He had resigned his job as'a prison officer when he was charged. If he was jailed he feared for his safety because of the attitude of the inmates because of his previous position. Adamson had a good employment record, had made ' some outstanding

achievements in sport, was honest and truthful and was not basically a violent or antagonistic person. He was conscious of the shame he had brought on his family, Mr Hampton said. His Honour said that it was always a matter of concern when a man with a rpr-n-ri cuch as Adamson's appeared for sentence on tms type of offence. It was fortunate that his victim’s injuries were not more serious.

A first offender, Adamson had shown a commendable application to work and sport but below the surface in the probation and psychiatrist’s reports there was a suggestion that he had an abnormal response to alcohol and had a need to demonstrate his presence. There was no justification for Adamson throwing the bottle or using the knife. The increasing use of weapons in disputes' had to be discouraged, said his Honour.