Sheffield Crown Court: Prisoner threw kettle of hot water over inmate who had been bullying him

Sheffield Crown Court heard on August 18 how Reece Woodward, aged 21, was a prisoner at Doncaster prison and young offender institution, at Marsh Gate, Doncaster, when he attacked a fellow inmate who had been bullying him.

Neil Coxon, prosecuting, said Woodward’s victim had been delivering food to inmates during a Covid-19 lockdown when he visited the defendant’s cell and was attacked.

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Mr Coxon added: “He went to the cell of the defendant and the defendant came to the doorway with a white kettle in his hand and that was filled with water.

“That water was hot water and it was thrown directly into the face and chest area of the complainant.

“As a result the complainant felt what he described as excruciating pain and he sought to back away.”

Woodward pursued the complainant, according to Mr Coxon, but the defendant was restrained by several prison officers.

The defendant, of Fawcett Vale, near Wortley, Leeds, who has previous convictions, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm after the incident on October 10, 2020, just before he was released from custody on October 30, 2020.

Woodward admitted the offence on the basis that the water had not been boiling and had not been laced with sugar which can aggravate burns.

Mr Coxon explained Woodward had been serving a custodial sentence at the time of the attack for offences of harassment and having a prohibited article in a prison.

Dermot Hughes, defending, said Woodward has since turned his life around and formed a relationship and he is working and his new partner is pregnant.

Mr Hughes added: “He has plainly got some hurdles to negotiate but he’s still a young man who got a poor start to his life and he’s eager to put it behind him.”

Recorder Simon Eckersley told Woodward any assault by an inmate against another inmate will be treated seriously by the criminal courts because all violence in that setting has the potential to cause further violence.

He sentenced Woodward to 30 weeks of custody suspended for two years with a rehabilitation requirement, a thinking skills programme and 80 hours of unpaid work.