Damning report into Phillip Smith escape discovers several Government flaws

Problems at the Corrections Department are far more widespread than those revealed in a new report into the escape to South America of murderer and paedophile Phillip Smith, says the Green Party.

In the report, released today, investigators detailed multiple failings by Corrections, Customs, police and others that let Smith fly out to Chile, and wrote that prisons must do a better job assessing the dangers of letting high-risk inmates out on temporary release, and none should be able to get hold of a passport.

In addition, his ability to obtain a passport while still in prison highlighted a lack of information sharing between relevant agencies about individuals in the criminal justice system who were barred from leaving the country. For example, if Smith’s nominated sponsor was contacted before the day of his release, they would have confirmed they had no knowledge of his stay, and the escape would have been thwarted.

DETAINED: Phillip Smith after his arrest.

– When police were notified that Smith was at large, the crime squad should have been engaged earlier, and an urgent request to Interpol made.

Rio’s Cidade Maravilhosa Hostel, where Phillip Smith was arrested.

The inquiry, chaired by former High Court judge John Priestly QC, describes the collective failures that led to Smith’s escape as “effectively links in a chain”.

“Had one been absent, then the escape nearly certainly would not have occurred”.

Stricter monitoring of prisoners who are temporarily released “outside the wire” and into the community is one of a number of recommendations the Government has promised to act on.

“Alarm bells should have been raised when Smith ran a business out of jail with the permission of authorities, but his commercial activities were never investigated properly”.

“For his victims this has been a bad time and I have apologised to them”, he said in a statement.

Passengers were shocked to hear they had shared a flight with a fugitive killer.

The report says Smith had named a sponsor who he was supposed to stay with for three days while on temporary release from prison.

There were wider deficiencies in the “recognition, assessment and management of risk” for temporary programmes that had not been picked up by Corrections.

Corrections Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga said the inquiry has identified areas of weakness and the Government was moving to improve things.

It said “no comprehensive systems were in place” to supply Internal Affairs with information about New Zealanders whose criminal status meant they could not leave the country.

– Internal Affairs was unaware Smith’s passport application was from a prisoner, meaning it did not matter if it was in the name Traynor or Smith.

There is also greater information sharing with Customs to ensure border alerts are in place for prisoners like Smith.

“Mr Smith’s escape should not be seen as a sign that the systems and practices of relevant agencies were broken in a fundamental way”.

The Smith inquiry has made 39 recommendations to the Government – it has accepted 34 outright and is considering the others.