Luke Casson jailed after attack on Chelmsford prison worker

Luke Casson, 35, of Shoeburyness High Street, punched a duty governor at Chelmsford Prison so hard in the head that she sustained a laceration which required 10 stitches.

Basildon Crown Court heard on Thursday (August 14) that she will be left permanently scarred and has been left questioning whether she can continue in her job.

Casson later claimed he had savagely beaten the woman because she felt she had talked down to a male prison officer he liked.

But shortly before, the same duty governor had also refused Casson’s request to be moved out of segregation.

Casson told a prison officer after the attack: “It’s a good job it was you that pulled me off… I would have strangled her and I wouldn’t have stopped.”

That officer said Casson “showed no remorse” and believed his attack on the woman had been “justified”.

He was already in segregation after strangling another inmate. He has since been moved to Belmarsh and appeared at his sentencing via a prison video link.

He had been put in Chelmsford while he awaited sentence after pleading guilty to stabbing a former acquaintance in the neck whilst intoxicated by drink and drugs.

Judge Samantha Leigh had ordered an official “dangerousness” assessment, to see whether he was eligible for an extended sentence.

While she was awaiting that report, Casson attacked the prison governor.

“I don’t mean to be trite when I say this, but I think my concern has already come to fruition,” she said. “I have absolutely no hesitation in finding the defendant dangerous.”

On May 17, the court heard, Casson was given medication by a pharmacist at around 10am and then escorted by two prison guards to the servery, where prisoners are served their food.

“Whilst officers were conducting a body search, he effectively darted past the officers, ran into the servery and punched a woman in the face,” said prosecutor Cyrus Shroff.

The blow was so hard that she immediately collapsed, he said.

(Image: (Image: File photo)) “He then punched her against whilst she was on the floor, before an officer pulled him off of her… The victim received a large laceration above her left eye requiring some ten stitches.”

Two of her teeth were also dislodged, the prosecutor said. Her face was “pouring with blood”.

“Talking to other officers, he says he didn’t like the governess and that he pre-planned the assault the night before,” he continued.

“He then added that he had not liked the way she spoke to the prison officers on that wing on that morning of the assault.”

Defence barrister Craig Rush said he knew from prior dealings with Casson that he “can form strong emotions about people in relatively short order.”

Judge Leigh agreed: “The bottom line is that Mr Casson either takes to you or he doesn’t – and if he doesn’t, you get hurt.”

She added that he, “because of his stature and his size, is capable of inflicting injury very quickly – and he doesn’t control his temper.”

Judge Leigh noted that Casson was “a big man, both tall and broad”, whilst both of his victims – the woman he stabbed in the neck, and the prison worker he punched – were “slight” women.

She handed down an extended, 16-year sentence – 11 years in prison and five on licence – for the stabbing incident.

But because of that, she said, she was giving a reduced sentence of 18 months for the attack on the prison guard, which would run concurrently.

But, she added, had the officer suffered worse injuries, Casson might have been jailed for life.

Asked whether he understood his sentence, Casson gave the court two thumbs up and a salute over the video link.