17 Feb 2012

Damages sought from govt agencies by rapist

2:04 pm on 17 February 2012

A convicted multiple rapist who claims he was tortured in prison, is suing three Crown agencies at the High Court in Auckland.

Nicholas Reekie is serving preventive detention for the rape of four Auckland girls and women, including an 11-year-old.

Reekie is seeking damages from the Corrections Department chief executive, the Attorney-General and Waitakere District Court.

He claims he was unlawfully imprisoned and maltreated in the high-care unit at Auckland prison in 2001 and 2002.

In court documents, Reekie says he was subjected to thin mattresses, poorly-done laundry and having to watch prison officers eat big fry-up meals while he ate dry sandwiches.

He also says he was tortured by a prison officer, whom he claims twisted his arm several times while he was strapped to a bed.