A high profile inmate at the Isle of Man prison has had his sentence extended by 11 months after assaults on two prison officers.

Donovan Bradley Kitching, aged 33, is currently serving a 10-year sentence after he admitted causing the death by dangerous driving of Gwen Valentine in April 2014.

We previously reported how that sentence was extended by four months after Kitching punched a prison officer in March last year.

In court on Thursday he was sentenced to a further eight months for assault causing actual bodily harm and three months for common assault to run consecutively to each other and to his current sentences.

The first of his two latest offences occurred on January 17 at 11am, as Kitching was being taken back to his cell by two prison officers.

Attack

As they were opening his cell Kitching launched an attack punching the officer in front of him on the jaw causing him to fall to the floor and his glasses to fall off.

Kitching was put to the ground as he swore saying: ’I told you I’d get you. Who do you think you are?’

The injured officer was taken to hospital where he was treated for a cut on top of his head, 2cm in length, and pain in his jaw.

He said he believed Kitching had caused the cut with a pen.

On February 10 at 10am, Kitching was in the segregation unit when he told prison officers he wanted to make a phone call.

Four officers must be in attendance when he is being moved.

Kitching was taken to the phone booth but as he was being taken back to his cell he suddenly punched one of the officers on the jaw.

The officer said his vision went blurred and his head was in a daze but he reached forward and grabbed Kitching as he and the other officers put him on the floor before handcuffing him and putting him back in his cell.

The prison officer later said that the punch had been ’extremely hard’ and that he had pain in his jaw as well as his knee, hip and leg due to the struggle.

Defending Kitching in court advocate Deborah Myerscough handed in a letter of apology from her client.

’This is a difficult case because it seems there are things that could be done for Mr Kitching,’ said the advocate.

’Hopefully the prison will take note of what is in the probation report.

’Hopefully he can receive some assistance so there can be a break in this cycle of behaviour.

Ms Myerscough went on to say that Kitching had spent long periods in segregation and he believed the prison officers were looking for any reason to send him there.

The court heard that a psychological assessment had not been carried out due to the cost and Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes expressed her concerns at this.

Mrs Hughes said that she would be following this up with the prison authorities and the Department of Health and Social Care if necessary.