27 Oct 2016

Ex-prisoner seeks $60,000 over late release

6:56 pm on 27 October 2016

A former inmate is seeking $60,000 in compensation from the Department of Corrections for miscalculating his release date.

Prison fencing at Paremoremo.

Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly

Last month, the Supreme Court ruled the department failed to factor in time spent in custody on remand when calculating the release date of Michael Marino, who had been jailed for 22 months on domestic violence and other charges.

In his High Court claim for compensation for false imprisonment, he said he suffered shock, distress and humiliation as a result of being held in prison for nearly four months longer than he should have been.

His claim also contained an alternative $60,000 claim for unlawful and arbitrary detention.

Corrections Minister Judith Collins said last month that thousands of prisoners could potentially be affected by the release date error.

Prime Minister John Key said whether compensation would be considered for affected inmates was uncertain and Parliament could pass retrospective legislation to rule out payments.

Mr Marino's case is due back in court in February.

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