It's been almost two years since the Waikeria Prison riot lit up the night sky, prisoners protesting what they said was poor treatment and conditions.
After six nights and close to $50 million worth of damage they came down off the roof.
Seventeen men were charged and on Tuesday morning, one of them pleaded guilty.
Matangirau Cuff, 24, is now expected to spend years behind bars but before he got locked up, he said he definitely has regrets.
It was a prison riot on a scale never before seen in New Zealand.
For six days Waikato's Waikeria prison burned, an entire wing up in smoke at the hands of inmates including Cuff.
"It just escalated out of nowhere, everybody in the yard was just tired of being ill-treated and provoked," he said.
At the time, the prisoners were complaining of poorly ventilated cells, being forced to drink dirty water and a lack of clean clothes and bedding.
Many of these claims were backed up in a 2020 report by the Ombudsman.
"We would ask for simple things like toilet paper, cloths and cleaning products and they would just tell us to use our sleeves," Cuff said.
Tensions came to a head on December 29, 2020, when fires were started in the yard before the group climbed onto the roof.
"Stuff just went south real quick," Cuff said.
He said he tried to lay complaints the official way in the months before the siege.
"You would fill it out, and then you would put it in a box but that box wouldn't make it to its destination so you'd just be waiting on false hope really," Cuff said.
On the roof, there were 17 men from multiple different gangs, including five 501 deportees.
"We were united, felt quite strong, spiritually because we were all fighting for our rights," Cuff said. "It was exhilarating, it's the most freest I've felt in my life."
When asked what he would say to people who think he's a bad person because of what he's done Cuff replied: "Come have coffee with me, get to know me before you judge me. Are you a bad person? I've done bad things but I'm not a bad person."
Cuff has been out on bail for a few months now, doing community work and drug and alcohol counselling.
"I've been fighting a lot of demons lately, I've felt like running away but I know that's not going to solve anything so I've got to face the music," Cuff said.
He said he's motivated by his young son.
"Because I grew up without a father and I don't want that same sort of thing for him. Thinking you're not loved or cared... It hurts."
This morning in the Hamilton High Court he pleaded guilty to three charges relating to rioting, assault and arson.
Cuff remained composed as he was remanded in custody and led down to the cells flanked by security. His lawyer said despite tonight being the first of many behind bars, Cuff is in high spirits.
A sentencing date is yet to be set.
A Corrections spokesperson said the allegations raised by the defendant were traversed by Corrections in the months following the riot.
"We continue to acknowledge that the Top Jail facility was no longer fit-for-purpose and due to be replaced, with the ongoing construction of the new facility at Waikeria Prison already underway at the time of the riot."
The spokesperson said the site's drinking water, which was shared with staff, came from an onsite bore which caused the brown colour but it was regularly tested to ensure its safety.
They said they have been clear that any action or behaviour that goes against Corrections procedures or protocols, or where staff have acted inappropriately, is not acceptable and action is taken when these are reported.
The spokesperson said prisoners at Waikeria Prison also had ready access to 0800 numbers for both the independent Corrections Inspectorate and the Office of the Ombudsman to raise any concerns they had that they felt were not being addressed appropriately by staff. This is separate to the PC.01 complaint forms and run independently from any Corrections staff.
