Court told of prison broomstick assault
File image. © Andrew Bardwell
The victim of a brutal broomstick bashing in prison has made a remarkable recovery, and the January assault at Christchurch Men’s Prison may have changed his life.
Michael Scott Holdem received a fractured skull and a ruptured spleen in the January 21 attack by Jamie Bryce Brown, a 23-year-old labourer, who pleaded guilty to a charge of wounding with intent to injure.
At Brown’s sentencing in the Christchurch District Court, Judge Jane Farish told him: “In an unusual turn of events, your offending has most probably given [Holdem] the catalyst he needs to change. He doesn’t want to go back to prison because he can see how vulnerable he is.
“In a strange sort of way, your offending may have assisted him in staying away from prison.”
Judge Farish said Holdem had declined to provide a victim impact statement for Brown’s sentencing but she was familiar with his case after sentencing him recently.
“He has made a remarkable recovery,” she said, telling Brown that Holdem bore no malice towards him.
In 1999, Holdem was jailed for eight years for living off the prostitution earnings of a 14-year-old, having sex with her, and administering morphine. Ten years later, he received more jail time after trying to get his mother to smuggle drugs to him in prison. He has also admitted unlawful possession of a shotgun.
Brown’s defence counsel Phillip Allan said Brown had intended to give Holdem “more of a scare” and was shocked when he found out the extent of the injuries. He was very remorseful, and had wanted to meet the victim at a restorative justice meeting in prison, but it was not able to be arranged.
Brown was also appearing for sentence on domestic violence charges, and breaches of a protection order.
Judge Farish said it was clear he now needed professional help for issues arising from his upbringing. He always resorted to violence when things did not go his way.
In January, while on remand in prison, he had become distressed after a phone call from his partner.
He approached another inmate and asked who was “the next inmate who needed a hiding”. Holdem was pointed out.
Knowing that he would get the beating himself if he did not attack Holdem, Brown then bashed him with a broomstick while he had his back turned making a phone call. The first blow with the head of the broom fractured his skull and Brown then hit him twice more on the body, causing internal bleeding and a ruptured spleen.
Holdem would be in danger from any further blows to his torso, because of the damage to his spleen.
The injuries had been life-threatening, and Brown could have been facing a murder charge.
Judge Farish jailed Brown for three years nine months and suggested he needed to be seen by a departmental psychologist during his prison term, as well as working on anger management issues.
He was the father of a son, and his partner was in court for the sentencing. The judge reminded him about his upbringing and pointed out that this own son was already witnessing violence as well.
Category: News
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