A Dundee knifeman who attacked a guard at HMP Perth has narrowly avoided being sent back to jail.
Gary Goddard admitted assaulting the prison officer while serving time for a city stabbing that left his victim scarred for life.
The 37-year-old, who was released on licence at the start of the year, faced another stretch behind bars when he appeared at Perth Sheriff Court on Wednesday.
Sheriff William Wood instead ordered him to carry out unpaid work.
“I don’t want to send you back to prison, because you’ve only just got out,” he said.
Lashed out on Perth prison floor
Goddard, whose address was listed as a Salvation Army Hostel in Dundee’s Ward Road, admitted the assault on the prison guard on April 5, 2021.
He further pled guilty to having an illegal SIM card at the jail on February 28, last year.
Fiscal depute Stuart Hamilton said a female officer attended at Goddard’s cell at around 2.45pm.
“When she opened the door, the accused approached her as if he was about to push passed,” the prosecutor said.
“He was instructed to remain in the cell and assistance from the other officer was requested.”
Mr Hamilton said: “The complainer helped to restrain the accused who slipped and fell to the floor.
“The accused then began to kick out towards the complainer and made contact.”
The fiscal depute said: “The accused was restrained, was calmed down and then left in his cell.”
He said the officer was not injured.
Mr Hamilton said the illicit SIM was discovered during a search of Goddard’s cell.
The card was found inside the prisoner’s state-issued mobile phone.
Lost privileges following assault
Solicitor Pauline Cullerton, defending, said her client had not been in trouble since he was freed in January.
Goddard lost his privileges for 14 days following the assault. He spent three days in segregation.
“He accepts full responsibility for having the SIM card,” Ms Cullerton said. “It was given to him by another prisoner who was due for release.
“He used it to keep in touch with his partner.”
Sheriff William Wood told Goddard: “You are an experienced convict.
“You understand the score and you must have known what would happen when you assaulted a prison officer and when you were found with an unlawful SIM card.
“Ordinarily, that would have attracted a custodial sentence.”
The sheriff said he wanted to give Goddard “a chance in the community”.
He ordered him to carry out 170 hours of unpaid work. The sentence is a direct alternative to custody.
Goddard was locked up for four years in 2018 after a jury found him guilty of stabbing a man to his severe injury, permanent disfigurement and impairment.
His trial made headlines after a juror was caught Googling the knifeman’s criminal past.
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