Inmates get jail terms extended for officer attack

Years of extra jail time have been handed to three inmates for an attack on a prison officer, whose mental health deteriorated and has since died.

Calvin Bishop was supervising inmates at HMP Whitemoor, near March in Cambridgeshire, when he was punched in the face.

Ralique Young, 24, Zeshaun Daley, 23, and Clayton Barker, 25, were sentenced at Cambridge Crown Court on Friday to extra prison time for the assault, on top of their original life terms.

Mr Bishop's mother said her son became withdrawn and had panic attacks and insomnia following the attack.

An inquest into his death has yet to take place.

Young admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and assaulting an emergency worker, and Barker admitted one charge of ABH.

Daley denied ABH and assaulting an emergency worker, but was found guilty following a trial in February.

Young launched an attack on Mr Bishop on 22 August 2023, Cambridgeshire Police said.

The prisoner had brought up a previous incident where he had been forced back into his cell for ignoring orders, police said.

Young was joined by Daley and Barker, who carried on punching Mr Bishop as he crouched down, the force added.

Another officer dragged Daley off Mr Bishop but was also punched in the face, before Pava spray was used on the inmates.

Mr Bishop suffered a fractured knuckle.

For the assault, Young was given an extra three years and six months in prison, Barker was handed three years and one month and Daley was given four years and two months.

Det Con Emma Purser said the attack was "completely unacceptable".

"A victim impact statement from the mother of the prison officer... has highlighted the upsetting reality and mental impact," she said.

"Calvin's mother explained after the attack he had suffered from panic attacks and insomnia.

"She said his mental health deteriorated, he withdrew from friends and family, and has since sadly died."

His mother had told how Mr Bishop had always wanted to be in the police and had been offered a job at Cambridgeshire Police.

"[He] suffered a vicious, underhand and pre-meditated attack and will now never get that opportunity," Ms Purser said.

Whitemoor houses up to 458 adult male prisoners, mostly serving long sentences.

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