Prisoner jailed for assaulting two officers in jail flare-up

King's Lynn Crown Court heard there was unrest among the inmates after a prisoner was refused permission to attend a family funeral and fellow prisoners gathered on the landing area of the jail.

David Wilson, prosecuting, said prison officers were called to the area and found prisoners swinging white enamel mugs around.

Mr Wilson said batons were deployed by prison officers and then during the incident one of the officers was punched in the jaw by prisoner Jamie Felmingham, 41.

Mr Wilson said the officer fell to the ground injuring his arm and shoulder.

When other officers attended the disturbance as back-up, Felmingham pushed a floor cleaner down the stairs, which struck another prison officer causing a cut above his eye, which needed treatment.

Mr Wilson said the officer punched on the jaw was taken for an X-ray but the jaw was not fractured, but he suffered bruising to soft tissue. In an impact statement the officer said it was painful to eat for a while after the assault and he also had his glasses broken.

The other prison officer had the cut to his eye glued and wound closure strips applied.

The court heard that Felmingham had 49 convictions for 83 offences.

Felmingham, who appeared over a link from Norwich jail, admitted causing actual bodily harm and assault on an emergency worker on August 13, 2019.

Stephen Mather, defending, said there had been no further incidents since this happened.

"The incident happened because there was general unrest on the wing which he foolishly became involved in."

He said Felmingham had not taken his medication that day. He said Felmingham had spoken to the officers concerned since the incident and appeared to have made up with those officers.

He said that Felmingham was now working as a painter on the wing.

Jailing him for six months, Recorder Douglas Herbert said he considered Felmingham had used the floor cleaner as a weapon when he pushed it down the stairs causing a facial injury.