A RIOT that left part of a young offenders’ institution (YOI) out of control for more than eight hours, during which £84,000 worth of damage was caused, began over a portion of chips.

The three young inmates at the centre of the disturbance at Deerbolt YOI, near Barnard Castle, on Sunday March 8, will all now spend several more years behind bars, as a result.

Durham Crown Court heard the riot broke out during a morning association period, when inmates Adam Rochelle and Liam James Browitt stood on pool tables, waving cues threateningly.

Three prison officers were forced to retreat under a hail of pool balls, as other inmates, including Cade Barker, joined in, overturning pool and table tennis tables to barricade themselves into the association room.

Rupert Doswell, prosecuting, said fixtures and fittings were damaged, with the gas supply cut off as a result, while one young inmate was apparently “taken hostage”, before being attacked by the three defendants.

Rochelle punched him in the face, causing him to fall to the ground, before he was repeatedly kicked in the head and body as he lay unconscious, surrounded by some of the other 20-plus prisoners, from B-wing, who were present.

Other inmates, some who sought sanctuary in an adjoining television room, came to his aid, and he was allowed to be removed by prison officers to enable medical treatment to be administered.

He suffered a fractured orbital bone in his skull, a laceration above the eye, plus heavy bruising and swelling.

Mr Doswell said attempts to negotiate with the rioters proved unsuccessful, and, after two ‘prison mutiny warnings’ were ignored, the siege-type situation was ended with the intervention of the Tornado Force team, specially-trained and armed riot control officers from jails across the region, with the use of pyrotechnics.

They overpowered the inmates, several of whom were arrested.

The court heard that Rochelle and Browitt began the riot as they feared losing their privileged servery job in the wing canteen, following a dispute with another inmate over the portion size of chips served the previous evening.

Mr Doswell said officers noticed Rochelle seemed to be planning something during the association period before he was heard to say: “I’ll do it, just watch me. I’ll do it,” immediately before mounting the pool table at the start of the unrest.

Rochelle, 21, and 20-year-olds Browitt and Barker each admitted charges of prison mutiny and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

Richard Simons, for Rochelle, said he made admissions the following day, when he spoke to Deerbolt’s operational manager.

Mr Simons said the disturbance arose “spontaneously” and was not premeditated.

Tom Mitchell, for Browitt, and Nick Cartmell, for Barker, said both have records for violence and accepted long sentences would follow.

Judge Simon Hickey imposed six-year custodial sentences on Rochelle and Barker, while Browitt received a seven-year sentence with a three-year extended licence period, because of his record for violence.

The trio, from the North-West, are now serving their sentences in Holme House Prison, Stockton, and at Swinfen Hall, a youth custody centre, in Staffordshire.