An inmate who assaulted a prison officer by throwing a chair at him has been locked up for a year.
The incident was sparked after Peter Garland, 28, became upset after his ‘passman’ duties – a type of work carried out in jail, at HMP Grampian were revoked.
He was also found to have a makeshift weapon in his cell, though his lawyer told the court it was not Garland’s.
Garland was a serving prisoner at the time of the incident on December 3, 2019. His earliest date of release is January next year.
Crown narrative
Fiscal depute Christy Ward told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “The complainer is a prison officer. He knows the accused as a prisoner at HMP Grampian. Just prior to the incident the accused had been relieved of his duties as a passman. This upset the accused.
“At around 3pm on December 3 2019, prisoners were unlocked from their section to attend to their duties. The accused did not have a pass and had to remain in his cell. The accused began shouting. The complainer entered the accused’s cell. The accused suddenly picked up a blue plastic chair and threw it at the complainer. The complainer raised his left arm to deflect the chair and was struck on the left hand.
“Blood immediately began to flow from the complainer’s hand. He hastily exited the cell and locked the door.”
Ms Ward told the court the prison officer had a “deep laceration” to his palm, and was taken to hospital in Peterhead for treatment.
The 5cm laceration was closed with steri-strips and glue, Ms Ward said it will “likely scar”.
The court heard that in relation to the weapon found, Garland’s cell was subject to a routine search on February 18 last year.
Ms Ward said: “The accused was asked if he had any unauthorised articles or anything that could harm them to which he replied ‘no, nothing’. During the search officers found a double-bladed article hidden amongst pencils in a tub. The accused spontaneously said he had forgotten the item was there and that it was ‘from ages ago’.”
The charges
Garland pled guilty to assaulting the prison officer to his injury at HMP Grampian by throwing a chair at him.
He also admitted having an offensive weapon namely a razor blade handle wrapped in cloth with two razor blades attached to the end.
Mitigation
Alex Burn, Garland’s solicitor, said: “He had been a passman for a good period of time. He was relieved of that position.
“He was upset and anger was pent up inside him.
“The officer comes into the room and at the peak of anger and frustration, he acts in the manner he did.
“When he throws the chair, the officer puts his hand up to stop the chair.”
In relation to the weapon, Mr Burn said: “He tells me it was an item that was already there when he went in, but he had knowledge of it and it was in his possession.”
The sentence
Sheriff William Summers ordered Garland, prisoner of HMP Grampian, to serve an additional 12 months added to the end of his current sentence.
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