A “dangerous and violent” inmate has been jailed for two years after assaulting three prison guards at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham over a two-day period, leaving one officer with severe facial injuries that left his daughter too frightened to look at him. Luke Donner, 30, became agitated when he was not allowed out of his cell, despite other prisoners being returned to theirs. He reacted violently, assaulting one prison guard and then another who came to assist.
The following day, Donner “lunged” at another officer, headbutting him and causing significant facial injuries. He pleaded guilty to wounding and two counts of assaulting an emergency worker on May 27 and May 28 last year. Prosecutor Matthew Dunford told Mold Crown Court that on May 27, prison officer Michael Elliot noticed Donner was agitated on a landing, claiming he had not had his normal routine for three days. When Mr Elliot refused to let Donner out of his cell, Donner became aggressive, resulting in a physical altercation.
Mr Elliot and another officer, Nicholas Davies, were both attacked by Donner, with Mr Davies being bitten in the process. The following day, Donner attacked another prison officer, David Heathwood, causing severe injuries to his face, including a three-centimetre wound to his forehead and a two-centimetre wound to his right cheekbone, requiring hospital treatment.
In a statement, Mr Heathwood shared the emotional impact of the attack, revealing that his young daughter was too scared to look at his injured face, leading him to assure her that it was not caused by a “naughty man” at work. Both Mr Elliot and Mr Heathwood have since been more cautious in their roles within the prison system. Luke Donner, who did not have legal representation, engaged in a motivational programme while in custody.
Judge His Honour Niclas Parry, describing Donner as a “dangerous and violent man,” sentenced him to 20 months imprisonment for wounding Mr Heathwood, adding four months for assaulting an emergency worker. Another four-month term for a further count of assaulting an emergency worker will run concurrently. At the time of the assaults, Donner was already serving a ten-year sentence for GBH. The judge emphasised the seriousness of attacks on prison officers and the need to address such behaviour within the prison system.