Prison guard attack sentence

A violent HMP Frankland inmate who attacked a prison guard with a makeshift knife has seen his prison sentence extended.

Martin Marland, 29, left the prison officer with superficial cuts to the face after using an improvised handmade weapon to carry out the attack in April last year.

The prisoner, who has a history of attacking prison guards, was being escorted to the mental health care unit and started knocking on the window, demanding to be let in.

Durham Crown Court heard Marland was refused entry and it was then he produced a bladed weapon from his waistband and started to threaten an officer.

Another officer then stepped in and attempted to strike Marland on the arm with a baton, but the defendant managed to cut the officer’s face causing “three superficial cuts”.

Marland, who appeared via video link from HMP Frankland, pleaded guilty to attempted wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and unauthorised possession of a bladed article in prison.

The court heard Marland, who is originally from Macclesfield, in Cheshire, was sentenced to 11 years and eight months in prison after attempting to strangle a guard in HMP Liverpool with bed linen in 2016.

Marland was first jailed as an 18-year-old after being convicted of robbery and theft in 2009 and was sentenced under the imprisonment for public protection (IIP).

The court heard Marland had been diagnosed with a personality disorder and changes to his medication meant he was unable to control “what he calls violent urges”, and was not carrying the knife “intending to specifically attack the officer”.

On sentencing Marland to a further 12 years in prison, Judge James Adkin said there was “no doubt” the defendant was a “dangerous individual”.

He added: “In my judgement it is pure chance the blade didn’t make more significant contact. You have a long record of serious violence, with 34 convictions for 72 offences, and 11 of those involving violence and weapons.” He added: “You are clearly an individual who likes making and carrying weapons in prison.”