Holbeach man punched prison officer

A defence solicitor has criticised the Crown Prosecution Service for bringing an assault charge against a man who assaulted a prison officer whilst on remand in Lincoln Prison, as he had already been punished by the prison governor.

Connor Tierney (26), of Langwith Drive, Holbeach,who admitted the offence at Boston Magistrates Court, was said to have been on remand awaiting trial on December 7 last year, when he punched a prison officer who had refused to unlock his cell door at a time when doors were not allowed to be opened.

Prosecutor Lottie Tyler said it had been an 'unprovoked attack' and the officer had had to receive hospital treatment as a result.

Lloyd Edwards, mitigating, said Tierney had been on remand for a 'brief period of time' and he had been in dispute with the officer because he needed slippers and the ones he had been given were three sizes too small.

He said it had been a 'momentary flash of anger' when he struck the officer once.

He said Tierney was given solitary confinement by the prison governor as a punishment for the assault, so had already been punished for the offence and should not have been prosecuted again.

Mr Edwards added that in April this year, four months after the assault, Tierney had received an 18 week prison sentence for assault and this case should have been dealt with at the same time.

Tierney was fined £350 and ordered to pay compensation to the officer of £100, as well as a total of £120 in court costs and charges.