Cop killer given 30 more months for attacks on Wakefield prison officers

Nicholas Roderick Walters, who was jailed for life in 2002 for killing an officer in Birmingham, admitted six counts of assault, one from HMP Frankland in Durham, and five relating to HMP Wakefield.

The 39-year-old appeared today at Leeds Crown Court via video link.

Outlining the case for the crown, Dr Chris Wood said Walters had attacked an officer at the Durham prison in September last year after he tried to intervene when he spotted Walters in his cell with a ligature around his neck.

In the struggle, Walters grabbed the officer's genitals and bit his arm.

After being moved to Wakefield Prison as preparation for his eventual release, he went on to attack five more officers in five separate incidents in April and May, spitting at their faces each time.

On a number of occasions it was when officers simply entered his cell, in others it followed after an argument with the officer.

In mitigation, Robert Mochrie said his client insisted there had been a degree of provocation from the prison officers.

Judge Tom Bayliss QC said: "Whatever you perceive as the provocation it did not justify you spitting at prison officers.

"They are dealing with an extremely dangerous situation during the Covid-19 emergency.

"You are a violent man and you demonstrated that violence by the way you behaved to those who are doing nothing more than their job."

He jailed Walters five months for each assault, a total of 30 months.

Walters, who is originally from Birmingham, was jailed in 2002 for killing PC Walker.

Age 22 at the time, Walters was driving a stolen vehicle when he rammed 46-year-old PC Walker off his police motorcycle.

Walters was later caught by a covert police recording bragging about the incident.

He was jailed for a minimum of 18 years, meaning he had been eligible for parole later this year.