A young offender who is building a growing list of convictions both in prison settings and in the community has earned a further extension to his time to serve behind bars.

Gareth Parr was serving a previous sentence for violence at Durham Prison, when the latest incident took place, on February 7 this year.

Durham Crown Court heard that Parr asked a prison officer to unlock his cell door when an association period began and was asked to wait.

When the officer did open the door, Parr responded by punching the officer to the left side of the face, causing a reddening to his cheeks.

(Image: Merseyside Police) Philip Morley, prosecuting, said Parr was taken to the floor by officers and restrained, but upon being searched two razor blades were found in the waist band of his trousers.

When interviewed about the incident he made no comment to questioning.

A brief statement given by the officer stated that he was annoyed as he did not expect to be assaulted while at work.

Mr Morley said she defendant, only aged 21, already has 53 convictions, with a number of them being for violence, including previous offences against prison staff.

Parr, from St Helens, on Merseyside, admitted the latest charges of assaulting an emergency worker and unauthorised possession, in prison, of a bladed article.

(Image: Merseyside Police) Martin Towers, representing Parr, said the defendant’s main mitigation were his early pleas.

Mr Towers told the court: “There is an explanation, not a justification, for what happened that day.”

He said the defendant was on an assortment of medication which stopped when he was transferred from Holme House Prison, near Stockton, to HMP Durham, a few weeks before the incident.

Mr Towers said he is now back on the medication but it’s accepted if in future he’s not, the amounts prescribed should be reduced only gradually rather than entirely.

“He said he was feeling paranoid thoughts and explained that he was frustrated in the delay in getting his cell door open at the beginning of the association period.”

Mr Towers said the defendant’s earliest potential release date when he goes before the Parole Board is not until 2026.

“He’s going to spend an awful long time in prison for someone of such a relatively young age.”

Mr Towers added: “It was a relatively short-lived incident which the subject of an early guilty plea.”

The defendant appeared for the sentencing hearing via video link from HMP Full Sutton, where he is now serving his sentence.

Judge Jo Kidd told Parr: “You are only 21, but you have accumulated a terrible list of convictions for offences of violence.

“You have more recently behaved while in prison, or in young offenders’ institution deliberately violently towards those who care for you.”

She said he was subject of an extended sentence against a backdrop of violence in the community and within prison settings.

“You also armed yourself with these razor blades at the time of the attack, posing a real risk to fellow prisoners and staff when you look at your past offences.”

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Judge Kidd said, had the defendant taken the case to trial, the least sentence would have been 24 months, but she reduced it to 16 months for the bladed article charge and added two months for the assault on the emergency worker charge.

But she told Parr the resulting 18-month sentence would be served consecutively to the existing sentences he is serving.

The judge also ordered forfeiture and destruction of the confiscated razor blades recovered from the defendant.