New details have emerged about an assault on a lawyer in the Levin courthouse in 2024. Photo: RNZ / Jimmy Ellingham
A lawyer punched and kicked in a public waiting area by a teen appearing in the Youth Court was previously threatened by him at a different courthouse.
New details have emerged about an assault on a lawyer in the Levin courthouse on 21 May 2024, in Ministry of Justice documents obtained by RNZ.
RNZ is unable to name the lawyer or the teen involved due to Youth Court reporting restrictions.
A report to the ministry health, safety and security committee said the lawyer assaulted in Levin was also "the recipient of threatening behaviour from the same youth when they first interacted at Palmerston North District Court on 4 January, 2024".
Another summary of the incident, also obtained under the Official Information Act, said the lawyer didn't report the incident to court security as he considered it a common occurrence.
The May assault happened in a waiting area while a Youth Court session was in progress inside a hearing room.
"This time the youth exhibited increased aggressive behaviour and was observed pacing back and forth in the public area, watching the lawyer," the summary said.
"The youth then physically assaulted the lawyer, kicking and then punching him in the head and face before being restrained by a youth worker until court security officers and police intervened."
The lawyer suffered minor injuries.
The report to the ministry committee included several recommendations, including that staff were trained to identify and mitigate risks; that experienced court security officers or security management were present when courts sat; and that hearings involving potential risk should happen in a "location that provides adequate control measures, such as duress alarms, CCTV and custodial provisions".
Ministry chief operating officer Carl Crafar said officials had recently filled the senior court security officer position in Levin.
The courthouse there produced a weekly risk assessment, and if necessary more security staff from elsewhere would work there when required.
Throughout New Zealand procedures were getting updated.
Extra security staff were deployed to courthouses, including being placed inside courtrooms. Crafar said that ensured "visibility and swift response to potential threats".
Health, safety and security inductions now routinely happened, and lawyers could attend, he said.
Court security training was updated to include sessions on situational awareness and body language, such as what gestures and facial expressions meant.
"All current court security officers will attend the annual re-qualification course throughout the year."
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