Prison riot ‘planned’ claims prosecutor

Prisoners armed themselves with table legs and threw pool balls at jail officers during a three-day riot, a court was told.

During the riot, a pool table was set on fire, furniture was thrown from landings and makeshift barricades were made. It cost £641,500 to repair damage at Moorlands Young Offenders’ Institution near Doncaster after rioting spread to an adult wing and left one inmate in hospital in November 2010.

Prosecutor Timothy Capstick told a jury at Sheffield Crown Court: “The evidence will show the disorder was both pre-planned and carefully orchestrated.”

Some prisoners had gone round the jail “trying to recruit others to join in the trouble”, he said.

The rioters, said to involve many more than were in the dock, destroyed three wings in House Block One at Moorlands.

At the height of the trouble, which Mr Capstick described as “concerted and sustained”, prison officers fled and locked the wings behind them, effectively surrendering control of the jail.

Charged with rioting are Daniel Baldam, 23, of Berwick Hills, Middlesbrough, Christopher Wilson, 26, of Peniston Road, Doncaster, Adam Mendoza, 24, of Mill Street, Greasborough, Rotherham, Stewart Graham, 31, of Norfolk Park Road, Sheffield, Daniel Hallgate, 24, of HMP Thorpe Arch, Wetherby, Lee Pidcock, 32, HMP Doncaster, Aaron Grahame, 32, of HMP Holme House, Michael Beale, 25, of HMP Wealstun, Jake Johnson, 23, of HMP Everthorpe, James Kelly, 27, of Pendlebury, Manchester, Kyle Sherlock, 24, of HMP Hull, Paul Dempsey, 36, of HMP Doncaster, Mark McLean, 23, of Cheapside, Worksop, Ryan Sturman, 23, of HMP Hull, and Nathan Willoughby, 24, of New Park Estate, Stainforth, Doncaster.

Douaine Beaumont, 37, of Anlaby Road, Hull, had pleaded guilty to riot and will be sentenced later.

The trial – which is expected to last as long as six weeks – continues.