A prison officer was the victim of a disgusting assault by a prisoner who threw urine and faeces over him. The officer said he believed the inmate wanted to cause him “maximum degradation”.
Brandon Fisher, 25, was a serving prisoner at HMP Parc in Bridgend when he attacked custody officer Christopher Alley on June 26, 2023. As the victim turned towards the wing office he described feeling “warm liquid” to the right hand side of his face.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard the liquid “smelled” and had “lumpy bits” in it. Mr Alley believed he had been “potted” – a term used in prison to describe urine and faeces being thrown at somebody. The substance covered the officer’s head and upper clothing.
He looked in the direction of where the liquid had come from and saw the defendant holding a Tupperware container. He asked Fisher why he had done it but the defendant ran upstairs and locked himself in his cell.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir said an operation manager at the prison was called out and he noticed a smell coming from the unit and saw what he believed to be faeces and urine on the floor. Fisher was transferred to HMP Peterborough and answered “no comment” when interviewed.
The defendant, now of HMP Fosse Way, later pleaded guilty to causing or administering poison or noxious thing with the intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy. The court heard he has 21 previous convictions for offences related to violence, dishonesty, drugs, and an identical offence of “potting” at another prison.
In a victim personal statement read to the court Mr Alley said: “I don’t believe I was potted because I had upset him or did anything to make him angry – I believe he did it to pay off a debt which is quite often the case in prison. This is not the best way for a man incarcerated for committing crimes to conduct himself in prison. He needs to realise he has been lawfully convicted, sentenced, and sent to an establishment where rules are in place and realise they’re to be followed and ordered carried out. By committing crimes and being incarcerated he has forfeited some of his rights.
“I believe he potted me for one purpose – to cause maximum degradation. What else can he achieve by this? Assaults such as these can lead to illness and infection. I find it hard to get the smell out of my nostrils and for several days I felt physically sick… I can assure you no prison officer finds this funny. It’s hard to motivate yourself to return to work when something like this happens . It puts you on edge and makes you worry about what will happen next.”
In mitigation the court was told the defendant is being assessed to see if he has ADHD. Sentencing, Judge Simon Mills said: “It was degrading, it’s awful, and it’s utterly terrible as an experience for the prison officer who was subjected to his. It was intended to demean and humiliate the victim.”
Fisher was sentenced to a total of 22 months imprisonment. The new sentence will start once his current sentence expires.
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