A Mongrel Mob member was involved in a “frenzied” pack attack on a fellow inmate while waiting to stand trial on murder and assault charges.

Jamie Robin Manakitia Te Aroha Thomas was charged over the death of Mitchell Te Kani at his Tauranga home on the night of May 14, 2022.

Thomas was in Rimutaka prison on remand awaiting trial when he became involved in what police said was a “frenzied mob attack” on a fellow inmate that lasted about 30 seconds.

Now he has appeared for sentence in the Hamilton District Court on a charge of injuring with intent to injure after kicking and stomping on the victim’s head five times.

His murder and assault charges in relation to Te Kani were dismissed because of a lack of evidence early in the nine-week-long trial in the High Court at Hamilton last September.

‘More than 20 kicks to the head’

About 8.40am on Sunday, June 30, last year, Thomas and 12 associates were in the exercise yard of HM 5/6 at the prison.

Five minutes later, it became “immediately apparent” a fight was about to take place after the victim, Peter Tinei, became involved in an exchange with one of the defendants.

That prisoner threw a small object at Tinei, and the pair squared up to each other.

After the defendant threw a punch that missed, Tinei went to do the same, but was set upon by the 13 defendants.

The victim tried to run towards the yard entrance door to escape, but the group unleashed a barrage of kicks and punches that lasted about 30 seconds.

Most of the group dispersed, but another defendant circled the victim’s head as he lay disoriented and distressed on the ground.

The defendant then lunged forward with a right foot kick to his head, while another prisoner stomped on his head, and kicked it four times.

That inmate kicked him another six times to the head and neck area, and punched him twice to the head.

Thomas then kicked the victim’s head three times as the other defendant kicked him again, too.

Jamie Robin Manakitia Te Aroha Thomas enters the dock of the High Court at Hamilton in September last year, three months after he was involved in a prison pack attack. Photo / Mike Scott

Thomas ultimately stomped and kicked the victim’s head five times.

The attack only stopped once enough Corrections officers had gathered to enter the yard and control the group, some of whom required pepper spray.

The victim was taken to hospital for treatment.

‘I love smoking cannabis’

Thomas was also sentenced on charges of dangerous driving, possession of 30.5g of cannabis, escaping custody, possession of an offensive weapon and breach of a protection order.

On January 29 this year, he fled police after he was spotted near Hamilton lake.

When police asked why he didn’t stop, Thomas said he “never stops”.

“He said that the cannabis was for personal use because he loves smoking,” court documents stated.

Then on June 6 in Morrinsville, Thomas again fled police.

After his vehicle was spiked, he fled on foot before being caught. Police then discovered he’d cut off his electronically monitored bracelet.

After taking a starting point of 30 months jail and applying discounts for his plea, remorse, background factors, and alcohol and drug report, Judge Crayton came to an end jail term of 26 months.

He also disqualified Thomas from driving for two and a half years.

Judge Crayton told Thomas the offending was serious and involved a wide range of offences, and said it was clear he hadn’t made any progress with his rehabilitation.

Mitchell Te Kani killing

Mitchell Te Kani was fatally struck on the side of the head with a crowbar and suffered a brain injury after falling back onto the concrete driveway of his whānau’s Maungatapu Rd, Tauranga, property on the night of May 14, 2022.

Nine people defended charges for Te Kani’s murder, but five were found guilty of his manslaughter. The rest were convicted of serious assault charges relating to his whānau, including his brother, Thomas Te Kani, and jailed.

The defendants were jailed for between 23 and a half months to 13 years and three months.

Three were found not guilty of causing his death at all, while the jury was unable to reach a verdict for one defendant.

Belinda Feek is an Open Justice reporter based in Waikato. She has worked at NZME for 10 years and has been a journalist for 21.