Violent prisoner attacked Wakefield officers in lost-vape ruse
A prisoner with a long history of violence attacked a prison officer while he was distracted, before laying into a second who tried to restrain him.
Nathan Watson was handed a life sentence in 2013 for the attempted murder of a friend.
The 38-year-old attacked the officers in September of last year while serving at HMP Wakefield, but could provide no reason.
Judge Tahir Khan KC handed him a fresh 24-month sentence at Leeds Crown Court this week after admitting charges of Section 20 GBH without intent and assault.
Prosecutor Lauren Smith said the first officer had been locking prisoners in their cells for the evening at around 5.40pm on September 30.
He saw Watson on the landing outside a cell that was not his, and told the officer he had lost his vape.
The officer said he would help him look, but when he turned to lock the door of a cell, Watson lunged him with both hands pushing him into the door head first, causing a 4cm gash to the side of his head and leaving him bleeding.
The second officer tried to intervene but Watson lashed out, sending him to the floor where he continued to rain punches down on his head.
The entire incident was captured on CCTV. Watson was arrested but refused to answer questions during an interview.
He has 27 previous convictions for 51 offences, including 15 for violence.
He had tried to knife a former friend to death on a south London street in 2012, stabbing him in the neck while an accomplice stabbed him in the arm and shoulder.
The man only survived after residents came to his rescue. Watson was given the life sentence and told he must serve at least 12 years.
Mitigating, Graeme Wilson said Watson, who was now serving at HMP Manchester, was to be soon moved to a mental health unit at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire.
He said that Watson accepted assaulting the officers and was coming off prescribed medication at the time.
He said he was remorseful, but could give no explanation for the attacks.