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George Baker - Source: ONE News -
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The Department of Corrections says Auckland Prison has now been fully unlocked and the prison has returned to normal operations following Thursday's hostage drama .
George Baker sparked an 11 hour stand off when he took an 83-year-old sex offender hostage at Auckland Prison at Paremoremo on Thursday.
Northern Regional Manager Warren Cummins says Baker has been placed in segregation. He has been seen by medical staff and is being offered all appropriate support.
The Department says Baker has been treated as a special needs inmate for some time. Baker's hostage was also in the prison's special needs area both men were allowed to associate.
Cummins says Baker has complex needs which are constantly being assessed.
Baker murdered 17-year-old Liam Ashley in the back of a prison van three years ago.
The latest drama unfolded when Baker, who has a history of mental health problems, took the inmate hostage at 3pm Thursday. The hostage was freed about 1.45am Friday after Baker gave himself up.
Baker's lawyer Tony Bouchier says the prisoner has "well-documented mental health issues" and often has "episodes" where he stops taking his medication, resulting in behaviour like Thursday's.
"A lot of the time, George Baker's a model prisoner, just every now and then he goes off the rails and, as I say, I think it's that he goes off his medication and that's when the problems start," he told Radio New Zealand.
Bouchier says prison authorities are constantly dealing with incidents involving Baker which are not made public. They include assaulting a prison guard.
The Department of Corrections says staff involved in the hostage situation were armed.
Cummins says Baker armed himself with a makeshift weapon and staff responded accordingly. He says given that Baker is a disturbed prisoner, his actions automatically become unpredictable.
Corrections and the police will now undertake a full operational debrief and carry out investigations into the incident.
Police say charges are likely.
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