Prisoner who flushed makeshift weapon down the loo handed more jail time

A PRISONER who flushed a makeshift weapon down a prison toilet after a stabbing incident was handed more jail time.

Scott Smith (21), of Linnet Court, New Milton, was serving a term at HMP Winchester when he got involved in assisting an offender, the city’s crown court heard.

Inmate Billy Phillips, of no fixed abode, attacked and stabbed prisoner Hashim Siddique in the neck in September last year with a "shank" made out of a deodorant cap and screw. As well as the neck wound, Saddique suffered nerve damage from the stabbing.

Smith, who had been sentenced to prison for a burglary, was handed the weapon and tried to dispose of it by flushing it down a prison loo, it was added.

The pair subsequently appeared in court and Phillips (22) pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent.

He was jailed for a further 12 years and when he is released will have a four-year licence period.

Smith, who had completed his original sentence, admitted a charge of assisting an offender and was initially given a suspended prison sentence and told to do unpaid work in the community.

But it later transpired he would be recalled to prison because of the offence, so the sentence could not stand.

As a result, Judge Keith Cutler had to resentence Smith and the defendant appeared again before the court.

Judge Cutler opted to hand Smith a 16-month jail term. He noted there was evidence Smith had “changed his attitude” and made progress in dealing with his issues while in prison.

The punishment means Smith will be out of prison in June 2020, Judge Cutler said.

As Smith was led away to the cells he shouted: “I love you” to someone in the public gallery.

DC Drew Wright of Hampshire police said: “This was a nasty assault which could have resulted in a more serious injury.

“These convictions and sentences show that we will work closely with HMP Winchester to investigate criminal offences that occur in the prison and to bring offenders to justice.”