Katrina Epiha, 24, will not have to pay for the damage she caused because she is serving a life sentence.
Instead, he imposed a concurrent nine-month jail term, which was the only option available. It will not extend her life sentence unless the probation service takes into account her behavior when it eventually considers her release.
Epiha was sentenced to life in prison in 2019 with a 10-year unconditional condition for stabbing Alicia Maree Nathan, 32, to death at a party in August 2017, following a dispute over loud music.
She escaped from custody during a visit to Middlemore Hospital in 2020 and was on the run in Auckland for about two weeks. Epiha had escaped to attend a cousin’s tangi after being refused compassionate leave.
Since the incident at Christchurch Women’s Prison on February 11, 2022, Epiha has been transferred to Auckland Women’s Prison, and appeared there today via video link.
She pleaded guilty to the charge of willful harm.
Defense attorney Emma Nicol said the incident happened after she had just spent 14 days in a unit and expected to return to her original unit, but was told it wouldn’t happen for another two weeks.
She said Epiha pleaded guilty because she knew she had done wrong and did not want to stretch the course of justice.
Judge Callaghan said Epiha barricaded herself in an area of the prison with furniture and then blacked out the windows and CCTV camera before smashing lights, electrical fittings and other items.
She then climbed through an access hatch onto the roof of the building and used a metal rod to smash 20 skylights, the ventilation system, a satellite dish and roofing material. The total loss account was $18,370.
He said the incident stemmed from her “frustration” at not being allowed to return to her unit.
Judge Callaghan said Epiha had waived the right to a police report so she could be sentenced immediately, but he noted comments made by the Supreme Court judge at her murder conviction about her “unfortunate background,” which may explanation was for the way she had behaved.
-By David Clarkson
Open Justice multimedia journalist