A Paremoremo prisoner injured in a fight with guards was tortured for four minutes in the attack, his lawyer says.
Photo: RNZ / Cole Eastham-Farrelly
Three prisoners and two guards are facing serious assault charges over the clash at the maximum security Auckland Prison at Paremoremo in May.
A third guard is facing a charge of perverting the course of justice for turning CCTV cameras away from the incident.
Lorraine Smith, the lawyer for prisoner Mitai Angell, told an administrative hearing in the High Court Angell was tortured for four minutes.
One of the guards, who has name suppression, has been charged with causing grievous bodily harm.
Ms Smith was stopped from saying more on the subject by Justice Moore because those details were not needed for today's hearing.
Ms Smith asked the court to move the case for the prisoners from the District Court to the High Court.
That was because Angell was suffering the effects of a serious concussion and would find it much easier to give evidence in the calmer environment of the High Court, she said.
Justice Moore said changing the court would delay the trial by several months until about March 2019.
But he would consider the request, he said.