Inmate jailed for throwing fire extinguisher at prison officer

An inmate at Perth Prison was jailed yesterday for throwing a fire extinguisher at a prison officer.

Perth Sheriff Court heard Jamie Miller, 28, of King Edward Street, Perth, was being transferred from a segregation unit at the prison back to ‘C’ Hall when a prison officer asked him to return to his cell.

Depute fiscal Michael Sweeney said: “The accused said he didn’t want to do that and instead headed into the pantry.

“When he came out of the pantry he was carrying a fire extinguisher above his head and he then threw this at the prison officer concerned.”

The court heard the prison officer stepped aside to avoid being hit by the device and was not injured by it.

“Other prison officers then restrained the accused and he was taken to the ground by staff,” Mr Sweeney added.

“The incident was captured on CCTV cameras.”

Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said her client was serving a custodial sentence, with his earliest release date being in 2020.

“My client told me there had been a bit of an argument between him and the prison officer but he has no explanation for picking up the fire extinguisher,” she said.

“Thankfully no one was injured as a result of this incident. I realise there is no option other than a custodial sentence that can be imposed.”

Miller admitted attempting to assault the prison officer by throwing a fire extinguisher at him on October 25 2016.

Sheriff Gillian Wade sentenced Miller to 11 months in prison, taking effect from yesterday.