Inmate at HMP Peterborough attacked prison officers after being told to leave showers

Reiss Thomas, 30, claimed his cell at HMP Peterborough was “inhumane” due to a window that would not close and refused to return there from the shower on Sunday, 22 November, last year.

When the officer told him the window would get fixed, Thomas became argumentative, and after the allocated 10-minute shower time, a prison officer went in and turned the water off.

As the prison officer bent down to pick up some clothes from the floor, Thomas punched him in the face and then bit his thumb.

With the help of additional officers, Thomas was restrained and taken back to his cell.

Yesterday (9 November), at Peterborough Crown Court, Thomas, of Port Arthur Road, Nottingham, was sentenced to six months after pleading guilty to assault by beating and assault by beating of an emergency worker.

Detective Constable Mark Clapham said: “The prison officer was just doing his job but was assaulted and needed medical treatment. Prison officers are often faced with challenging situations but violence against them is never acceptable.”