A prisoner who attacked another inmate with a sharpened toilet brush has been sentenced to 20 months in prison.
Kyle Leonard, 26, adapted the loo brush by whittling it to a pointed end before using the makeshift weapon to attack rival Thomas Henderson. The convicted sex offender hit Mr Henderson with the brush up to a dozen times before attacking the female warder who stepped in to halt the fight.
Leonard, a prisoner at Perth, admitted having an offensive weapon - namely a sharpened toilet brush shaft - in the prison's B Hall on 25 September 2021. He admitted assaulting Mr Henderson by repeatedly striking him on the head and body with a toilet brush, repeatedly punching his head and body and causing him to fall to the ground before struggling with him to his injury.
Leonard further admitted attacking prison officer Diane Kelsey and kicking her twice on the head to her injury during the fracas.
Sheriff Euan Duthie said: "This was an appalling attack. Members of the prison service are entitled to work in relative safety.
"Your conduct towards the officer and towards the prisoner was entirely unacceptable and a custodial sentence is inevitable."
Fiscal depute Elizabeth Hodgson told the court that the attack happened on the third floor of the jail's B-Hall just before 9.30am.
"Mr Henderson and another witness walked towards the accused's cell," she said. "The accused immediately exited his cell and in his right hand he had a toilet brush shaft which was sharpened to a point.
"He pushed against Mr Henderson and struck him to the head and body with the brush 10 to 12 times."
Leonard dropped the weapon and began repeatedly punching Mr Henderson on his head and body.
"Diane Kelsey, a prison officer, saw the commotion on the landing and rushed towards both men to try and separate them," said Ms Hodgson.
"She took hold of the accused and all parties fell to the ground. The accused kicked her twice on the head before being restrained."
Leonard was thrown into isolation at the jail's segregation unit, while Henderson was transferred to Perth Royal Infirmary.
"At 11am, police attended at the hospital to speak to Mr Henderson, who was being guarded by prison staff," said the fiscal depute.
"Mr Henderson immediately told officers he was not giving any statement and would not be discussing what happened. He was seen to have wounds on his face, with redness on his face, head and body."
Ms Hodgson said: "Ms Kelsey sustained bruising on her upper arm and her left forearm and back were sore."
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