Court told of chaos caused by Stoke Heath inmates' riot
Rampaging prisoners at a young offenders institution in Shropshire smashed up a games room opened up to them as a privilege and caused thousands of pounds worth of damage, a court heard.
A quiet game of pool at Stoke Heath YOI, near Market Drayton, suddenly descended into chaos as Shane Cotgrave, Liam Brennan, John Blakely, Jake Myers and Daniel Barker ran riot.
Other prisoners in the room were forced to flee or use chairs as shields as the five men shattered windows by hurling pool balls, smashed up chairs and tables and ripped a TV off the wall.
More than £5,000 worth of damage was caused by the five men, who were said to be protesting against the prison system.
Mr Kevin Jones, prosecuting, said the men eventually came out following talks with prison officers after the incident on October 12 last year. No-one was injured.
The court heard the five men had committed 136 previous offences between them and were serving sentences at the time for various crimes including robbery, burglary, GBH, and possession of class A drugs.
All five men admitted affray and causing criminal damage at a previous court hearing and appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court yesterday for sentence.
Judge Robin Onions told the men, who laughed and sniggered in the dock throughout, that the majority of the public would not even want prisoners to have privileges.
He sentenced Brennan, 20, and Blakely, 21, to an extra 12 months in prison.
Barker, 20, who has just been recalled to prison, was also given 12 months but will serve it concurrently with existing sentences. Cotgrave, 20, and Myers, 21, were also handed 12-month terms but suspended for two years alongside a community order and 200 hours of unpaid work each.
