NEWPORT, Isle of Wight, United Kingdom – A 37-year-old inmate at the Island’s prison received a 36-week custodial sentence after pleading guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH). Robert O’Keefe appeared via video link from prison at the IW Magistrates’ Court on January 7, where the court heard details of the violent attack on a prison officer.
During the hearing, Prosecutor Serena Edwards described how O’Keefe, who was serving an “indeterminate sentence” at HMP Parkhurst for sexual and violent offenses committed in 2010, became agitated and engaged with other inmates during a scheduled video call last year. When prison officers instructed him to stop, he launched an unprovoked attack on one of the officers, punching him multiple times in the face.
The assault left the officer with two broken veneers, severe bleeding, and fighting to stay conscious. In a victim statement, the officer detailed the painful medical treatment he endured due to the attack, emphasizing the significant impact it had on him.
Despite O’Keefe’s defense attorney, Nick Muir, explaining that the inmate had heightened emotions due to a family court hearing scheduled for the same day, the court emphasized that his actions were inexcusable. O’Keefe’s custodial sentence will run concurrently with his existing prison term, which has an earliest possible release date set for 2093.
Magistrates determined that O’Keefe, as a serving prisoner with no financial means, would not be ordered to pay court costs, a surcharge, or compensation to the assaulted officer. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the challenges faced by prison staff in maintaining control and safety within correctional facilities.