Alexander calls for retrospective law change

United Future law and order spokesman, Marc Alexander, is appalled a judge has ordered the Corrections Department to pay five criminals $130,000 compensation for their treatment while being held in Paremoremo Prison.

He said “Justice Minister Phil Goff is right to be appalled and I call on him to introduce a retrospective law change in Parliament next week to ensure no taxpayer money will be paid to criminals. The money should go to their victims.

“Why should a murderer like Christopher Taunoa, described by prison officers as the most difficult prisoner to control they have ever seen, get compensation for alleged breaches of his human rights in prison, when he permanently severed the human rights of his victim with an ear-to-ear, foot-long cut to his victim’s throat—so deep it went through to his spinal cord?

“There is no rhyme nor reason why violators of human rights should have their own human rights get special protection, ahead of the rights of their victims.

“These Court-ordered payments show crime does pay, against the better interests of society. The whole point of punishment is that it is a denial of human rights.

“At the rate our judges are going, we’ll soon be awarding compensation to anyone who commits a crime and gets punished,” said Mr Alexander.

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