A convicted killer has had his jail sentence extended after he admitted a brutal assault on a fellow inmate at HMP Perth.
Alan Dewar has already served 17 years behind bars for the murder of Inverness teenager Joshua Mitchell.
He was due for parole in May next year.
The 32-year-old must now stay locked up for at least another eight months following a bloody brawl in the jail’s C-Hall.
Dewar battered Fife thug Casey Japp, just weeks after he was jailed for assaulting a teenage girl in Lochgelly.
He later claimed it was all a “misunderstanding”.
Prisoner left with head wound
Fiscal depute Matthew Kerr told the court: “At around 4.20pm, one prison officer was administrating medication, while another was escorting prisoners back to C-hall following visitations.
“Mr Japp, who was also a prisoner, was among those going to back into the jail.
“The accused lunged at Mr Japp and started throwing punches at his head.”
Mr Kerr said: “Two prison officers broke up the fight and separated the pair.
“Mr Japp suffered a one-and-a-half centimetre cut in the middle of his forehead.
“Four steri-strips were applied to close the wound.”
The prosecutor added: “The accused was put back in his cell and police were contacted.”
Misunderstanding
The court heard Dewar, who appeared by video, has since been transferred to HMP Glenochil.
He admitted assaulting Japp on May 3, by striking him on the body, struggling with him and repeatedly punching him on the head to his injury.
A lawyer for Dewar said: “He entirely accepts responsibility for this offence and is fully aware of the severity of his actions.
“He said that this came about as the result of a misunderstanding, and there had been ongoing troubles inside the prison.
“Since this incident, he has apologised to the complainer and to the prison governor.”
Murder victim was in the ‘wrong place’
Sheriff William Wood told Dewar: “Given all of the circumstances – and taking into account your previous convictions – there really is only option for me.
“You have been in the prison system long enough to know the consequences of actions such as this.”
Sheriff Wood said the eight-month sentence would begin following the punitive part of Dewar’s life term.
Dewar murdered his 17-year-old neighbour in a drink and drugs-fuelled range in 2007.
He stabbed Joshua, who had learning difficulties, through the heart because he was “in the wrong place at the wrong time”.
Originally locked up for a minimum of 13 years, he had 32 months added to his sentence in 2010 for attacking a fellow Polmont inmate with a pool cue.
Six years ago, Joshua’s family campaigned for Dewar to be kept out of Inverness.
