Prison officers had to don riot gear to deal with two drugged-up inmates, one trashing their cell and the other throwing bricks at staff.
One officer suffered a broken finger in the incident and more than £2,000 of damaged was caused at the Inverness prison cell.
Russell Mackinnon, 36, of Riverbank, Broadford, Skye, and Morgan Stubbings, 23, of Merchiston Street, Wick, appeared at Inverness Sheriff Court via video link.
Mackinnon admitted that, on November 15 2021, he maliciously smashed a window and a table in his cell, and caused other damage including to the cell door.
‘Security, safety and discipline are very important’
Stubbings pleaded guilty to threatening behaviour towards prison officers, shouting and swearing and throwing bricks at them.
He also admitted culpable and reckless conduct causing serious injury when he kicked a cell door and broke a prison officer’s finger.
Fiscal depute David Morton told the court: “Both men were cellmates and about 2pm on November 15, prison officers became aware of a disturbance in a cell.
“Mackinnon was deliberately damaging the cell and attempting to barricade them in. Prison officers in riot gear were called and attempted to remove them.
Stubbings ‘usually has a good relationship with prison staff’
“One officer placed his hand on the cell door to prise it open but Stubbings kicked it shut and the officer’s index finger was broken. He was on restricted duties for five weeks.
“Stubbings continued to shout and swear and throw bricks at the officers.”
Graham Mann, Stubbings’ solicitor, told the sheriff that his client had admitted to “partaking in the pretty widespread misuse of substances which were circulating at that time in the prison”.
He added: “He accepts his behaviour was unacceptable in the extreme.
“He has only been at liberty for four or five weeks since 2020 and usually has a good relationship with prison staff. He has not been in any further trouble since.”
Pat Campbell, Mackinnon’s lawyer, said: “It was a relatively limited episode which was quickly brought under control.”
Sheriff Eilidh Macdonald told both men: “Security, safety and discipline are very important in the prison environment. You breached it in a violent way.”
Mackinnon was jailed for 11 months backdated to November 26 and Stubbings was imprisoned for 18 months backdated to November 23.
