15 Jun 2010

Inmate charged with guard's death named

9:50 pm on 15 June 2010

The prison inmate charged over the death of a guard at the Spring Hill Prison in north Waikato last month can now be named.

He is 21-year-old Latu Kepu.

Kepu was originally charged with assaulting prison officer Jason Palmer, but that was withdrawn in favour of the more serious charge of manslaughter.

Mr Palmer died of complications arising from blunt trauma to his head when he was attacked while letting a prisoner out of his cell.

Kepu was handcuffed to a prison officer and flanked by five others for his brief appearance in Hamilton District Court on Tuesday. He was remanded in custody until next month.