Judge's warning for Beeston offender who attacked officer at Leeds prison

Aaron Thompson, who has previous convictions for GBH and ABH and is already serving a seven-year jail term, was given another 14 months for the attack at HMP Wealstun in March of last year.

During a sentence hearing at Leeds Crown Court this week, Judge Rodney Jameson KC told the 25-year-old: “You have a rather bad record developing. I really do hope that a time will come when that all changes otherwise it will be a depressing future.

"You are still a young man but there’s time to change and I hope that happens otherwise it will be an awful waste of a life.”

Prosecutor Robert Galley said Thompson became agitated in his cell at the Thorp Arch Category C prison, shouting at staff that he needed medication. When he was let out cell he followed an officer to the office.

It was noted he was still agitated and “red in the face”. Asked to calm down a scuffle broke out where he grabbed an officer around the throat.

Mitigating for Thompson, Shila Whitehead said the only redeeming aspect for the defendant was his early guilty plea.

Thompson, of Robb Street, Beeston, appeared in court via video link from HMP Manchester, where he is serving the remainder of his previous sentence.

He was initially set for release in November of 2024, but was told that the 14-month jail term for the assault will run consecutively.