Inmate caused £15,000 worth of damage by smashing up gym and shower block at Leeds Prison

The prison gym had to be shut down for four weeks after Sonny Lang's wrecking spree.

Leeds Crown Court heard Lang then smashed up and flooded a shower block days later when he was placed in a segregation unit.

Lang was given a 16-month sentence after pleading guilty to two offences of criminal over the incident in November last year.

Richard Davis, prosecuting, said Lang carried out the first offence on November 19 when officers placed him in the gym for a short time while they transported another inmate to a different area of the prison.

Lang managed to get hold of a piece of piping which he used to smash up the gym equipment and CCTV cameras.

Mr Davis said Lang refused to come out of the gym for more than an hour and officers had to put on riot gear before moving him from the area.

The gym had to be shut down while repairs costing over £6,000 were carried out.

The 26-year-old defendant was then placed in the segregation where he caused damage to the shower block on November 29.

The prosecutor said Lang barricaded himself into the shower area as officers tried to persuade him to come out.

Lang told the officers: "You will have to come and get me.

"The first person in here is going to get it."

Lang then smashed up shower heads and lights and flooded the block with water.

Four officers had to put on riot gear before forcing their way in and restraining Lang.

The defendant tried to bite the officers during the struggle.

The shower area had to be closed while repairs costing just under £10,000 were completed

Lang was later moved to a prison in Kent.

He refused to comment when interviewed about the offences.

The defendant has previous convictions for robbery, burglary and drugs offences.

James Littlehales, mitigating, Lang, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to the offences at an early stage.

Judge Andrew Stubbs QC said: "You wanted a move and as part of your wish to ensure that you were moved you embarked on this campaign of criminal damage to the equipment and facilities at HMP Armley.

"You more than anyone knows how highly valued those facilities are.

"It seems plain to me that the motive for these offences was to engineer your move from one prison to another."