HMP Bristol inmate who attacked staff with spike sentenced

Police said Daniel Matthews' assaults were "planned and unprovoked"

An inmate who used a homemade weapon to attack prison officers has been sentenced.

Using a spike on a handle, Daniel Matthews knocked one staff member unconscious and left another with a fractured eye socket at HMP Bristol.

At Worcester Crown Court, Matthews was previously convicted of multiple charges including wounding with intent.

Judge James Burbidge QC described the 28-year-old as a "dangerous offender" and jailed him for 20 years.

Matthews used a sharpened spike to attack the staff at HMP Bristol in January

The court was told the attack on the officers unfolded on 10 January this year as Matthews was being moved to a segregation unit after threatening staff.

One sustained a serious head injury and puncture wound to his jaw as he was knocked out and another had a fractured eye socket and a bruised eye.

Warning: Graphic image

Matthews, now of HMP Woodhill, had previously stabbed a member of staff at HMP Long Lartin in Worcestershire in February 2019.

He had also attacked fellow inmates at HMP Hewell, also in Worcestershire, in April 2017 and a prison governor a month later.

Matthews was found guilty of four counts of assaulting an emergency worker; two counts of unauthorised possession of a weapon; two counts of wounding with intent, and one of attempting to wound with intent.

He was acquitted of one count of assaulting an emergency worker.

Injuries inflicted by Matthews on one prison officer at HMP Bristol

Matthews was also convicted of two counts of assault occasioning actual bodily harm and another count of inflicting grievous bodily harm at Worcester Crown Court.

He was cleared of another count of grievous bodily harm.

Det Con Laurence Castle, from Avon and Somerset Police, said: "The assaults perpetrated by Matthews were planned and unprovoked and were aggravated by his repeated use of improvised weapons constructed by him."