The judge said that ‘it’s important that prisons are safe for the people who reside there’
A violent prisoner with a grudge against an older, disabled inmate viciously attacked him in his cell after warning him: “I’m going to knock your head off your shoulders.” Alex Pearson punched the wheelchair-using prisoner after going into his cell and confronting him.
The victim had “no way of avoiding” the nasty revenge beating, which followed an argument between them the previous night, Hull Crown Court heard. Pearson, 23, of The Causeway, Beverley, but recently in custody, admitted assaulting the other prisoner, causing actual bodily harm, on November 2, 2023.
Ben Hammersley, prosecuting, said that Pearson was in custody at Hull Prison at the time for matters that he was later cleared of at trial. The other man was, and still is, a serving prisoner. He was older, was disabled, had limited mobility and used an electric wheelchair.
There was a disagreement between them the day before and Pearson shouted to him: “Fat f***ing b*****d. I’m going to knock your head off your shoulders.” Pearson was later let out of his cell for it to be cleaned and the other prisoner was in his cell when Pearson rushed in and told him: “I told you last night I was going to knock your head off your shoulders.”
He pushed past the man’s cellmate and threw two punches to the victim’s head, causing a cut above his eye, bleeding, swelling, headaches and dizziness. He was taken to hospital. During the melee, the cellmate tried to get Pearson to stop but Pearson punched him as well.
“Shortly after the incident, officers arrived and took control of the situation,” said Mr Hammersley. Pearson had convictions for three previous offences, all in 2022, and including assault.
Michele Stuart-Lofthouse, mitigating, said that Pearson had been in custody on remand for this offence for about six months. “He accepts what he has done,” said Miss Stuart-Lofthouse.
“It is hoped that no further issues will arise between them.” Pearson pleaded guilty and the other prisoner had been spared from having to give evidence during a trial.
Judge Mark Bury told Pearson: “The night before this, you threatened him and you told him that you were going to knock his head off his shoulders. That’s what you tried to do the following day. You went into his cell where there was another inmate.
“You began to punch him to the head at least twice. He was vulnerable not only because he was an inmate but mainly because he was significantly older than you and was a wheelchair user.
“He had no way of avoiding your attack on him. Prisoners don’t always get on – that’s a given – but that doesn’t mean you have to use violence on them. It’s important that prisons are safe for the people who reside there.” Pearson was jailed for 19 months.
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