A fourth member of a group of inmates who launched a pre-planned pool table attack on another prisoner has received an extension to his sentence.

Jordan Everington, from South Hetton, County Durham, was one of the quartet who suddenly turned on the other inmate as he was playing pool during an association period at HMP Deerbolt, near Barnard Castle, shortly before 6pm on November 29, last year.

Luke Ibbotson, Thomas Nicholson and Jayain Schmidt received sentence extensions at a hearing at Durham Crown Court recently, at which Everington was unable to attend.

Ibbotson, 22, from Billingham, and 27-year-old Nicholson, of Newcastle, who began the attack, striking the victim with pool cues, one of which broke due to the force of the blow, were given 12-month and ten-month sentences, respectively, after admitting unlawful wounding.

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Twenty-year-old Schmidt, from Sheffield, who, like Everington, joined in the assault by punching the targeted inmate, received a six-month sentence in a young offenders’ institution, after admitting affray.

Everington, who turns 21 today (Friday, September 22), appeared before the sentencing judge, Recorder Tom Moran, via video link from Holme House Prison, Stockton, where he is on recall, to learn his fate yesterday (Thursday September 21).

Darlington and Stockton Times:

Jonathan Crawford, prosecuting, told the hearing, at Newcastle Crown Court, that Ibbotson and Nicholson were playing pool on an adjacent table.

They suddenly launched the attack on the victim, as he was playing pool on the next table.

Both used their cues, causing a four centimetre laceration to the victim’s head.

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Mr Crawford said Schmidt and Everington “assisted” their co-accused by wading in with punches to the torso of the targeted inmate, who retreated to fencing at the rear of the association area.

Prison officers intervened to break up the attack and the assailants were all subsequently detained for their respective roles in the incident.

Mr Crawford said the 22-year-old victim, who received medical treatment for the injury to his scalp, refused to provide a statement to assist the prosecution.

Everington, like Schmidt, admitted a charge of affray to reflect his involvement in the incident.

Brian Russell, for the defendant, confirmed he had been recalled to prison to serve an outstanding period of a previous sentence.

Mr Russell told the court that his client was in a similar position as the co-accused Schmidt, but conceded he has, “a rather less impressive antecedent history.”

Recorder Moran noted the defendant has a, “significant record for assault and battery”, but said he would deal with him, just as he did with Schmidt, by imposing a six-month sentence, consecutive to the time Everington is serving on recall.

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He told Everington: “It’s clear you two co-accused decided to join in this unprovoked attack, punching the complainant.

“The fight was broken up after a short time.”

As with his accomplices. the prosecution offered “no evidence” to the original charge of wounding with intent, and Recorder Moran formally recorded a “not guilty” verdict.