Te Maikhoa Hakopa: Violent thug jailed for Wacol prison assault

A Logan man with multiple assault convictions conducted a ‘savage’, four-on-one raid on a fellow inmate, knocking him unconscious.

An “aimless thug” with a history of violent assaults, including bashing a 19-year-old girl at a Logan train station, has continued his violent ways behind bars, ganging up with three others to beat an inmate unconscious.

Logan man Te Maikhoa James Hakopa, 26, pleaded guilty in Brisbane District Court on Thursday to a single count of aggravated assault occasioning bodily harm.

The court heard the offence occurred at a prison in Wacol on November 19 last year.

Hakopa and three other inmates lured their victim onto a remote landing before unleashing a vicious assault, which it was accepted by the defence was planned.

Hakopa, who had wrapped his hands in fabric in preparation, joined the fray after a co-accused had initially knocked the victim to the ground.

The victim was punched, kicked, stomped and thrown into a wall, knocking him unconscious and leaving him bleeding “profusely” from his head, an injury which required suturing.

The court heard Hakopa has been continuously in custody since July last year due to the commission of previous offences of violence.

Logan man Te Maikhoa James Hakopa, 26. Picture: LinkedIn

On November 6, 2019, at Beenleigh Railway Station, Hakopa savagely bashed a 19-year-old woman, slamming her into a pole and chasing her down to continue the assault.

He was sentenced in Beenleigh District Court on March 30 this year and was sentenced to 12 months’ imprisonment.

That assault came about five months after a previous assault at a Gold Coast train station, where Hakopa, as part of a group, attacked a 29-year-old man for which he was sentenced in the Southport District Court.

Crown prosecutor Matthew le Grand told the court the drug-addictes, alcoholic Hakopa had been living an “aimless” life characterised by loitering with “groups of thugs”.

The court heard Hakopa is a New Zealand citizen who has suffered bouts of homelessness due to his substance issues and offending.

Hakopa, understood to have lived in the Waterford West area prior to his incarceration, was sentenced to 30 months’ imprisonment with immediate parole release.