A PRISON officer has been left with ‘permanent injuries’ after being attacked by an inmate at a prison in north Dorset.

The assault, at HMP Guys Marsh, saw Luke Andrew Broom punch the officer in the face repeatedly - leaving the man with a double fracture to the jaw and permanent nerve damage.

Broom was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Monday, February 20, where the judge slammed his ‘appalling record for violence’.

The 33-year-old, currently serving a seven year custodial term at HMP Swaleside after being transferred from Guys Marsh, was handed an additional 32 months sentence for three offences: one count of assault causing actual bodily harm, one of causing grievous bodily harm without intent and, one charge of possessing an offensive weapon.

Tom Wright, prosecuting, outlined the two assaults as he played the court CCTV footage of the incidents: “On September 24 (2021), Broom attacked an inmate - Ryan Balch - who he struck several times with an improvised weapon.

“The defendant can be seen walking around and getting in position: Balch has his back to the defendant who was biding his time before striking his victim several times with the pool ball (in a sock).”

Judge Robert Pawson KC said the attack ‘seemed to be significantly premeditated with a highly dangerous weapon’.

Balch suffered a 2cm laceration to the forehead, with Mr Wright saying he “got off relatively lightly”.

The second incident occurred on October 4 when Broom was asked to return to his cell by a prison officer. The court heard Broom ‘point blank refused’ before punching his victim in the face three times: leaving the officer requiring surgery on a double fracture to the jaw.

Sebastian Winnett, mitigating, said Broom accepted he acted ‘impulsively’ when attacking the prison officer. He said Broom was ‘overwhelmed with intrusive thoughts’ as a result of his ADHD and possessed a short temper.

He said Broom was making ‘good progress’ at HMP Swaleside - something acknowledged by Judge Pawson - and had desires to enrol with an Open University course.

In sentencing, Judge Pawson told Broom he had ‘an appalling criminal record’ and noted a number of convictions for violent offences. He added that Broom’s ‘distorted behaviour’ was ‘perhaps explained by the fact you were exposed to significant violence in your childhood’.

When deciding whether to impose the sentence consecutive or concurrent to Broom’s current custodial term, Judge Pawson said ‘he had no realistic alternative’ other than to impose it consecutively. 

Broom, who was sentenced to seven years in prison in 2020, will first be eligible to be considered  for release in 2026.