Family demands answers as Ombudsman investigates use of 'tie down' prison beds

Wednesday, 14 December 2016

Chief Ombudsman Judge Peter Boshier talks to Paula Penfold for a Stuff investigation

Ricky Sellar's family want some answers.

The 45-year-old died in prison in November 2015.

As part of his regime, he had been restrained using a tie-down bed, a practice used to bind difficult inmates by the torso, arms, and legs, to prevent self-harm. By law, it can only be used with medical approval.

By his family's account, Sellar was a difficult character, committing his first crime when he was 11.

They want answers, though, about the circumstances that led to his death in Paremoremo prison in November last year.

In episode four of a special six-part Stuff Circuit documentary series on prisons, Private Business, Public Failure, the family say they want someone from Corrections to explain what happened and why tie-down beds are used.

Prisoners prone to self-harm have been tied to beds for hours at a time over a number of weeks.

Stuff Circuit revealed that the Office of the Ombudsman is investigating four cases of the use of tie-down beds in New Zealand prisons.

In the episode, the investigation delves into Ricky's world and the use of prison restraints.

Chief Ombudsman, Judge Peter Boshier, has concerns about tie-down beds and seclusion rooms in our prisons.

Sellar grew up in Masterton as Richard Galyer, changing his name by deed poll in an effort to escape his past.

His family were appalled to learn he had been subjected to the use of tie-down beds while in Corrections' custody.

Ricky Sellar was sentenced to ten years in prison for a rape he tried to pin on his brother, Aaron.

'Disgusting. Why are they using those sorts of tactics in New Zealand?

'I mean this is New Zealand, for God's sake,' his father Keith Galyer said.

Stuff Circuit tracked down Sellar's family because the Chief Ombudsman, Judge Peter Boshier, is concerned about and investigating the use of the restraints.

The investigation found Sellar was, at times, restrained in a tie-down bed but nobody from Corrections had told his family that he was under such supervision.

Boshier told Stuff Circuit he's investigating a case at Paremoremo where an inmate was tied down for 16 hours a day, for weeks on end.

'You'll get a picture that this is management by probably the least resource intensive means, that is, once the prisoner's tied down, well they can't do anything.

'The problem is the intrusive nature of it on the prisoner and the fact that they are just tied down for long periods.

'There are two things about this, one, international standards. The other thing is that we're an integrity agency and we're responsible for ensuring that New Zealand is seen out there in the best light. This is not a good look.'

The Department of Corrections and the government know it's an issue, and in June the Corrections Minister announced almost $14 million for the department to buy its own mental health services, over the next two years.

It includes $10 million to contract mental health clinicians and support workers to work with offenders in prison and in the community.

Comment has been sought from Corrections, asking whether the department has had any contact with Sellar's family.

The fifth episode, The Jailer, will be published on Thursday.