KILLER BIT GUARD IN CELL-SWAP ASSAULT
Lifer lashed out and put custody officer in hospital
A LIFER sunk his teeth into a prison officer’s arm while staff tried to restrain him, a court heard.
Convicted murderer James Demarco reacted violently after he was asked to move to a new cell in Addiewell Prison, West Lothian.
Prison officers implemented a “control and restrain” tactic to physically force him to obey.
But during the struggle he bit custody officer Colin Latta on the bicep, causing an open wound which needed hospital treatment.
Evil Demarco, formerly of Pilton, Edinburgh, was 17 when he knifed Army recruit Jamie Ewart, 18, to death at a house party in the city in 2006.
He severed three vital organs in his neck with a single blade blow.
Demarco, 31, was flanked by four prison officers in full riot gear and handcuffed to one of the escort team when he appeared virtually at Livingston Sheriff Court via a video link from jail.
Representing himself, bearded Demarco pled guilty to assaulting Latta by biting him on the body during the incident on November 7, 2019. He also admitted behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by shouting threats of violence towards prison staff.
His denial that he tried to incite other prisoners to attack the officers while they were holding him down was accepted by the Crown.
Prosecutor Mairi Graham said Demarco told staff he was not changing over to Cell 17 as instructed. Demarco was stripped of all privileges for 10 days.
Sheriff Susan Craig sentenced Demarco to nine months imprisonment, to run concurrently with his life term.