A PRISONER at HMP Haverigg assaulted a prison officer because he was unhappy with the food choices, a court heard.

Dalton Lee Fisher was hauled before magistrates after he attacked Victoria Speed at the prison.

South Cumbria Magistrates’ Court was told he became abusive with female prison officers during the evening meal on May 20 2019.

Prosecutors said he tried to headbutt one officer who managed to move out the way only for him to hit her on the head and grab her hair.

The court was told she hurt her thumb during the incident and had to have two days off work.

He was jailed for a further 26 weeks by Judge Gerald Chalk after pleading guilty to assaulting an emergency worker.

It was said the offence was seen as more serious because it was committed in a prison context.

It was described as a repeated assault against an emergency worker causing ongoing injuries with an intent to cause more serious harm.

His address was given as HMP Holme House in the north east.

His list of offences includes a conviction for trying to engineer a transfer from a young offenders’ institution (YOI) by carrying out an unprovoked attack on another prisoner in 2014.

Fisher placed pool balls in a sock and began lashing out at the passing prisoner in a recreation area at Deerbolt YOI, near Barnard Castle.

Durham Crown Court heard that one of the balls fell from the sock but Fisher continued the assault, punching the other inmate to the head as he fell to the floor, near the pool table.

Other inmates, joined by staff, pulled Fisher away to halt the assault on the 20-year-old victim.