A prisoner at HMP Grampian attacked a fellow inmate with a door hinge after the two had a disagreement.
David Pearson, 24, appeared via video link at Aberdeen Sheriff Court and admitted prising a door hinge from the prison shower room before raining down repeated blows on his victim.
The other inmate was left with lacerations to his arm that required several sutures.
Pearson’s solicitor said his client had acted “impulsively” to strike first during the fight.
Prisoner used door hinge from cell showers
Fiscal depute Brain Young told the court that Pearson struck soon after the men had been unlocked by wardens on August 30 last year.
He said: “The prisoners were unlocked in the communal area at around 1.55pm for recreation.
“These officers then saw the accused repeatedly strike the complainer to the head and body with an object.
“Both officers immediately intervened and the accused was returned to his cell.”
The court heard that as the prison officer saw that Pearson had used a large door hinge in the attack.
“These hinges are fitted to the in-cell shower door and are frequently damaged by prisoners,” Mr Young said.
Pearson’s victim was treated by a prison nurse who found he had shallow lacerations to his right forearm, which required three paper sutures.
He also had superficial grazes to his right arm.
Pearson pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of an offensive weapon and a second charge of assault by repeatedly striking another inmate with a door hinge.
Accused attacked ‘impulsively’
Defence agent Lewis Faulds told the court that Pearson and the other man had gotten into a “disagreement” prior to the assault.
He added: “He reacted in a way that was very impulsive in order to get the first punch in.
“He accepts that he committed this offence and wants the matter to be dealt with so he can look beyond prison.”
Mr Faulds added that Pearson was also seeking help within his current prison for his mental health and anger issues.
Sheriff Ian Wallace sentenced Pearson, whose address was given as HMP Addiewell, to 15 months in prison.
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