Marc My Words.
From Marc Alexander MP 15th August. 2003
United Future NZ-Christchurch Supplement
How safe, and fair, is con air?
Violent prison inmates are being transported around the country sitting near unsuspecting passengers on regular
commercial flights. While the prisoners must be escorted by guards they are not handcuffed nor restrained in any way.
The public is not given any warning of the times of flying or destinations or the nature of their possible risk in the
presence of these offenders.
More than 500 such inmates have been flown in the past two years; two of these whom had prior convictions for escaping
from custody while others had convictions for violent crime such as aggravated robbery, assault and possession of
firearms and explosives.
Take the case of Ritchie Stuart Clutterbuck who while was being transferred from Mount Eden Prison in Auckland to
Christchurch on a regular Air New Zealand flight was alleged to have said that he wanted to "F*** up the flight". He
then 'exploded into violent resistance', punching, kicking and kneeing a constable in the head. A ten minute struggle
ensued with other passengers being moved away. Flight attendant Lillian Shadbolt had to pick up a fire extinguisher and
threaten to hit Clutterbuck.
While it is forbidden to restrain inmates on flights as it 'may' pose a risk for them should any emergency occur, it is
beyond belief that passengers should be placed at risk without their knowing!
It does not take a great imagination to recognise the potential risks an unrestrained violent offender poses on an
aircraft. Just such concerns were made by Brian Davies, national organiser of the Corrections Association who commented
that the Corrections Department had a history of providing insufficient resources to ensure the safety and security of
the public, flight staff and prison escorts.
The ultimate irony of course, is that while convicted offenders fly around the country enjoying the view at tax-payer
expense, their victims and families have to scrimp and save to afford to attend parole hearings often a great distance
from where they reside.
ENDS