Renegade Tamarangi pleads guilty to obstructing a public official at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court

A hot-headed Kiwi who turned on immigration officers during a wild brawl put their lives at risk, a court has been told.

Renegade Tamarangi fronted the Broadmeadows Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, where he pleaded guilty to obstructing a public official.

A New Zealand thug stuck in immigration detention who was involved in the brutal bashing of several officers put their lives at risk, a court has heard.

Renegade Tamarangi pleaded guilty to obstructing a public official at the Broadmeadows Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

In November last year, Tamarangi, 35, was detained at Melbourne Immigration Transit Accommodation on Camp Rd in Broadmeadows when he, along with other detainees, attacked several detention service officers.

A three-minute video played in court showed Tamarangi and others approaching the officers and ganging up on them before attacking.

He jumped back and forth while punching, kicking and threatening the officers.

Tamarangi, who lives in Deer Park, hurled abuse at the officers and intimidated them.

“F--- you, let’s go c—-,” he said.

“You are a little b----.”

Sixteen detention service officers responded to a code black that was triggered by the attack.

Tamarangi’s defence lawyer said her client was troubled and had been in the criminal justice system since a young age because of using drugs, “entrenching himself in that lifestyle”.

“He is 35 years old, a citizen of New Zealand and migrated to Australia in 1991 when he was just three years old … he is assisting his brother in staying out of trouble,” she said.

“His decision in relation to the offending was flawed, and he should not have acted the way he did,” she said.

Tamarangi’s defence lawyer argued his role in the offence was “neutralising the co-accused and pulling them back.”

The prosecutor accepted Tamarangi’s offending was the “least serious offence” and he did try to hold the others back.

However, the prosecutor said, “ (Tamarangi’s) actions did endanger the life of the detention service officers at the workplace”.

Magistrate Belinda Franjic told Tamarangi he made his victims feel intimidated.

“I can appreciate that being in an immigration detention, you could be frustrated and distressed with not knowing how long you need to stay there, which could infer in your Judgement, but that doesn’t excuse your behaviour,” she said

Tamarangi was convicted and released on a good behaviour bond for 12 months.