Inmate was left with severe burns

A Perth Prison inmate suffered severe burns after another prisoner threw boiling water, mixed with sugar, over his head and body.

Rickie Tait was initially treated at the jail’s health centre before being taken to PRI.

He was then transferred to the plastic surgery unit at Dundee’s Ninewells Hospital, depute fiscal Michael Sweeney told

Perth Sheriff Court.

The victim’s left arm was “bandaged from his shoulder to his wrist”and he also suffered burns to his forehead and scalp.

Thirty-six-year-old Shaun Dunn, who is serving a seven-year extended sentence after holding a blade to a student’s throat in a robbery bid, will discover his punishment on April 20.

Sheriff Pino di Emidio, who described the boiling water attack as a“preemptive strike,”called for a background report.

Dunn admitted pouring the mixture of water and sugar over Tait at the Edinburgh Road jail - to his “severe injury”- on April 15, 2019. Part of the charge which alleged he had put the other man in a headlock and that the injuries were to his permanent disfigurement were deleted.

A co-accused, Danny Blake (42), had his not guilty plea to the indictment accepted.

Mr Sweeney said the incident took place in cell 28, occupied by Tait, in the prison’s A Hall, about 8.30am.

Prison officers responded after hearing a “crashing noise”and discovered the floor of the cell was wet and sticky.

Mr Sweeney said that an update on the injured prisoner showed that his burns were“healing well”.

Solicitor Bruce Short said his client was serving four-and-a-half years in jail, to be followed by two-anda-half years’supervision.

He added:“Drugs are the root of his problem.”

The lawyer claimed his client had been threatened by Tait the previous day and he was“fearful for himself”.

Sheriff Emidio, who also called for a report on Dunn from his present prison governor, said:“This was a very serious matter - a very deliberate attack.”