Violent Notts prisoner waged “war” with attacks and suicide bids

Gary Brooks was serving a sentence for robbery at HMP Lowdham Grange, when he threw scalding water at a guard and later tried to hang himself in his cell.

As he was cut down, he bit an officer on the arm and squeezed his genitals, prosecutor Tom Heath told Nottingham Crown Court, on Thursday.

When he was unable to withdraw money from a cash machine, he tried to climb the landing railing and punched an officer several times, on April 3, 2018.

Officers entered his cell with shields, on May 22, 2018, and Brooks bit one officer and punched another. A week later he bit an officer, causing puncture wounds, and squeezed the genitals of another.

In February 2019, he knocked another prisoner unconscious with pool balls in a sock.

Officers cut Brooks down as he tried to hang himself from an air vent, on June 13, 2019, but when he regained consciousness, he lashed out, punching, kicking and biting four officers.

The court heard he has 21 previous convictions, including battery and assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and was jailed in 2015.

Julia King, mitigating, said Brooks has a "tragic history" and has been diagnosed with borderline personality disorder and complex post traumatic stress disorder.

She said he is waiting to see if he will be transferred to another facilty where he will receive support for his mental health problems.

Brooks, 28, currently of HMP Manchester, pleaded guilty to all the charges.

Judge Stuart Rafferty QC described it as "a very troubling case" and said: "You are at war with yourself and harm yourself on a repeated basis. You have been at war with prison officers as well. They are entitled to be protected to the extent the court possibly can.

"I have done everything I can to secure your transfer to an appropriate mental health facility.

"I am sad to hear you have harmed yourself recently in Manchester. If you keep committing offences you may never leave custody. Your choice I am afraid."

The judge handed Brooks four and a half years, which will start after his current sentence is finished.