Inmatebeatcon withpoolcue

A Perth Prison inmate savagely attacked another‘con’with a pool cue, breaking it in two with the force of the blow, three days after Christmas.

Twenty-six-year-old Ryan Currie then punched Joseph Tracey twice on the face before he“walked off as if nothing had happened.”

The assault, which left the other prisoner scarred for life, led to Currie being jailed for 14 months at Perth Sheriff Court.

Sheriff William Wood told him: “This was an act of premeditated violence.

“You were not under any danger or under any threat at the time.”

Noting that Currie has a“shameful list”of convictions, although he had a“more violent past”when he was young, Sheriff Wood added:“Only a custodial sentence would be appropriate.

“There’s no suggestion this was anything other than an ill-judged venture.”

Currie admitted striking the other inmate on the body with the cue and then repeatedly punching him on the face, to his injury and permanent disfigurement, at the Edinburgh Road jail’s‘B’Hall on December 28 last year.

Depute fiscal Carol Whyte said Currie had been serving a 20-month sentence, similar to his victim.

Prisoners had been playing pool when Currie picked up the cue and lashed out at the other man with such force that it“snapped.”

The victim was“bleeding heavily” from the blows but the incident had been captured on CCTV.

The injuries to Tracey’s body and face were“glued shut”but there was likely to be“permanent scarring.”

A solicitor for Currie said the other prisoner had made approaches regarding the accused’s medication.

He had subsequently spent three days in the“digger”– solitary confinement – and lost privileges for a fortnight.

The jail term was backdated to April 20 this year.