‘Ferocious’ attack on prison officer
A VIOLENT convict launched a ‘ferocious’ and unprovoked attack on a prison officer as he brought him lunch in his cell.
Dorian Griffiths, 27, launched himself at the officer, ‘showering’ him with punches during a vicious attack which started inside his cell at HMP Forest Bank in Salford.
Prosecutor Nicola Yeadon told Manchester Magistrates’ Court the prison officer was attacked on the morning of October 18 last year as he served lunch to inmates in their cells.
Griffiths, who was on a ‘basic regime’, had his back to the officer as the officer unlocked the cell door.
Griffiths turned around and ‘without any warning’ grabbed the officer and started repeatedly punching him, Ms Yeadon told the court.
He was pushed out of the cell and onto the prison landing, where Griffiths continued to throw punches to the officer’s head and upper body, the court heard.
Ms Yeadon said the officer tried to draw Griffiths closer to him so further punches couldn’t be inflicted.
But the two men fell to the floor and the officer hit his head and was knocked unconscious. Several other prison officers raced to he scene and dragged Griffiths away.
The officer was taken to hospital having suffered severe bruising and swelling to his face and having bitten through his tongue during the ‘unprovoked’ attack. He also suffered a rotator cuff injury to his shoulder, which meant he had to wear a sling for more than a week. The officer described the attack as ‘ferocious’. He said he felt lucky not to have suffered life-changing injuries.
The officer said he had never been attacked at work before and said he was in ‘complete shock’ afterwards.
He said he was left in ‘excruciating pain’ after the attack, which left his family ‘horrified’. The officer was due to attend a job interview in the days following the incident and said his injures left him worried about attending.
In a victim impact statement, he said he had been ‘50/50’ about taking the new job, but the violent attack by Griffiths had made up his mind.
He said: “After the assault I was sure I was going to leave the prison service.
“I’m not paid enough to put up with this abuse.”
The court heard that Griffiths has a lengthy history of violence, including a conviction for affray. He admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
Matthew Wallace, defending Griffiths, said there was no explanation for the attack, which his client doesn’t remember. He said Griffiths suffers from schizophrenia, has a ‘significant record of violence’ and is currently in a secure unit at Ashworth Hospital.
He added: “On this particular day, he was waiting for his food to arrive in an isolation area. When someone arrived with it he reacted by showering him with punches.” Speaking to the court via videolink from Ashworth Hospital, Griffiths added: “I want to say that I’m sorry for what I did.”
Magistrates sentenced Griffiths to six months in custody and ordered him to pay £200 compensation to the victim after this release.