Police are investigating a violent assault on two custody officers at Auckland District Court, where one officer suffered a broken jaw and the other was knocked unconscious.
The attack occurred on Tuesday 31 January in the afternoon, as a 31-year-old prisoner, who had been showing aggressive behaviour earlier in the day, was being escorted back to custody.
Witnesses described harrowing scenes as officers struggled to reach their injured colleagues through multiple locked gates.
Overcrowded and unsanitary conditions in the holding cells may have contributed to rising tensions among detainees. The injured officers, both well-respected, are now recovering at home, while police have confirmed further charges will be laid against the attacker.
