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Ben Easton Jailed for Breach of DPO

Filed under: Law & Courts — JohnPotter @ 9:54 am Mon 2nd May 2005

A father prepared to go to any lengths necessary to regain contact with his children (including enlisting the services of NZ’s Wizard), recently made a one-man Hikoi to Wellington to try and draw attention to his grievances. The latest development in the long campaign by Ben Easton has seen him jailed in Auckland for breaching a Domestic Protection Order.

Newstalk 1ZB carried two reports yesterday:

Prison refuses visit by Fathers’ Union

The Union of Fathers is appealing to be allowed to visit a prisoner they believe could be on a hunger strike.

Ben Easton is being held in Auckland Central Remand Prison after he was arrested for breaking a protection order.

The long-time campaigner told the Union of Fathers he would go on a hunger strike while in the cells.

Prison bosses say none of their inmates has missed more than three consecutive meals.

Union of Fathers spokesman Jim Bagnall says this may be the case, but officials are not letting anyone see Mr Easton.

He says supporters just want to visit him to make sure he is okay.

Hunger-striker to receive Union of fathers visit

A group of fathers will soon get their wish to visit a hunger-striking comrade in prison.

Ben Easton has been refusing to eat at Auckland Central Remand Prison after being arrested for breaching a protection order, and the Union of Fathers has been trying to see him, but was initially denied access.

Now a Corrections Department spokesperson says it generally takes up to three days to clear a visitor permit. there appears to have been an about-face at the prison: officials initially denied they had a hunger-striker inside.

3 Comments »

  1. What can I say .I know how you feel Ben as I have been jailed 3 times and breached the protection orders 12 times as the result of malicious false allegations since they reared their ugly head’s in 2001. I wish the family court could feel the roar of pain that it’s pathetic piety causes. My heart goes out to Ben but I can’t afford to get arrested again trying to highlight the injustice and are going to walk away from family court and all its lies May 5. The system breeds resentment.

    Comment by Peter Burns — Mon 2nd May 2005 @ 4:35 pm

  2. Just to update this post – Ben was released on bail last week and is back busking in Wellington, possibly outside the Child Youth and Family Service in Manners Mall.

    Comment by JohnP — Thu 12th May 2005 @ 9:45 am

  3. It is no good whinging about injustice after the fact. It comes across as exploiting an aggrieved parties misery for political gain. Think about it Bozo’s, in the family court there will always be an aggrieved party, you can’t cut kids in half. Either get in there and help guys about to fall victim to injustice, not after, or stop whinging. Do you think moaning on a site percieved as for a bunch of radical sore loosers is the way to effect political change? Men are pathetic today and would do well to learn from the womens movements. Women network and support each other out of genuine compassion, men do it if it suits their own interests, if they can be bothered. If you think there is gender imbalance now, get used to it, it will get worse. No one addressed sexism against women until they got together and put a stop to it themselves.

    Comment by I Hiding (from the witchhunt) — Tue 23rd August 2005 @ 8:07 pm

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