Prisoner admits Oakwood guard attack
A prisoner who was held near Wolverhampton admitted a violent assault on a guard after his cell was searched and items were removed.
Leroy Lawrence, aged 38, was being held at Oakwood prison in Featherstone when the guard discovered his cell was closed and empty by looking through its observational hole at about 9.10am on January 13.
He entered and found an 'unauthorised yellow liquid' in a bottle and removed his television as a result.
But on discovering these items had been removed on his return to the cell, Lawrence was so incensed that he punched the guard four or five times after telling the guard he was 'going to have it', according to prosecutor Mr Adam Warner.
Cannock Magistrates' Court heard the guard had suffered swelling and a cut to his right cheek after he was attacked by Lawrence, who appeared in front of magistrates by videolink.
Defending Lawrence, Mr Paul Jenkins had said he was sorry for the attack but that he had 'spontaneously' lashed out 'as a last straw' over his dissatisfaction over his treatment at the prison.
After the attack he was moved to HMP Wymott in Leyland, Lancashire and remains there.
But he was told that he will only find out whether he will need to serve extra time at another hearing later, having admitted a charge of assault.
Mr Jenkins had argued that Lawrence's sentencing should be delayed because the prisoner had been given just a few hours' notice that he would be appearing in court and was not represented by solicitors who had done so at previous hearings.
Magistrates agreed to that measure and he will be sentenced on November 24. He will be released in 2019 at the earliest after he was sentenced to seven and a half years in prison for burglary at Birmingham Crown Court on June 19, 2015.
