Shoelace killer given extra time

Eastwood punched the Perth Prison officer several times

A prisoner who killed a cellmate with a shoelace has had an extra 10 months added to his jail term after attacking a warder in Perth.

Daniel Eastwood, 23, admitted punching prison officer Mark Brownsmith several times at the jail in December.

Eastwood was being specially monitored at the time because he had swallowed razor blades.

In 2004, he was jailed for a minimum of 15 years for strangling Paul Algie at Dumfries Young Offenders Institution.

He had been serving a 12-month sentence for dangerous driving when he committed the murder.

Eastwood has spent most of his jail time in segregation units but was transferred to C hall at Perth Prison because authorities believed he had been making progress.

At the time of the attack, Mr Brownsmith had been trying to get Eastwood into his cell.

He has to appreciate that, like it or not, he has to accept the authority Sheriff Lindsay Foulis

Solicitor Mike Creegan, defending, said: "He can best be described, when he puts his mind to it, as a bit of a pest. Officers have difficulty dealing with that.

"He is fine in the segregation unit, but finds it difficult if he is put back in the halls. He does have a personality disorder but he can't get any treatment for it."

Sheriff Lindsay Foulis told Eastwood he may never be released from jail if he continues to defy the authorities.

"He is going to be in the system for a long time and he has to appreciate that, like it or not, he has to accept the authority," he said.

"There was just a clear belligerence here and he was just challenging authority from beginning to end.

"If he eventually leaves the prison system it is a long way off. Clearly if he remains in segregation all the time then he's never going to leave."