An inmate has had 27 months added to his prison sentence after throwing boiling water from a kettle at a Perth Prison guard.
Anthony Elliot, 23, mixed sugar with the roasting water and threw it at the unsuspecting guard when he tried to deliver his evening meal.
At Perth Sheriff Court, Sheriff William Wood labelled Elliot a coward for the way he attacked the guard when he was in such a vulnerable position.
Elliot, who is serving a seven-year prison sentence, has more than 20 previous convictions, many of which involve violence, such as attempted murder and mobbing and rioting.
Depute Fiscal Gavin Letford told the court that the prison guard had attended at Elliot’s cell with colleagues to deliver his evening meal.
On checking that the accused was sitting on his bed as procedure dictated, the guard entered on his own. He then began chatting to the accused about his kit bag which was filled with dirty clothes and lying on the floor.
When the guard bent down to pick up the bag, Elliot threw the mixture of boiling water and sugar on the left side of his face and shoulder.
The guard suffered superficial burn injuries to his neck and left shoulder. Although he was off work for 11 days as a result of the attack, and suffered scarring shoulder injuries, he was able to continue with his job.
Solicitor Emma Todd said that her client was placed in Polmont at the age of 16 and had been in custody ever since.
She added that he had been diagnosed with dyssocial/psychopathic personality disorder and the longest time he had spent out of segregation was three months. His earliest parole date is 2028.
Elliot, a prisoner at Low Moss prison, admitted carrying out the assault with the kettle’s contents and then throwing the kettle at the guard on March 20.
Sheriff Wood said: “This was a cowardly attack on a prison officer doing his job.
“He was in a vulnerable position as you knew he would be when you carried out the attack.
“This was a crime committed by person with no investment in their future.”