Killers go on violent rampage with makeshift weapons at HMP Addiewell

Two convicted killers have admitted going on the rampage with makeshift weapons at a West Lothian jail.
HMP Addiewell Prison. Picture: Lisa FergusonHMP Addiewell Prison. Picture: Lisa Ferguson
HMP Addiewell Prison. Picture: Lisa Ferguson

Triple murderer William Lewis – once described by a judge as “an evil, violent and highly dangerous man” – and fellow lifer Paul Deeney both threatened prison officers with blades and sharpened metal spikes during a violent disturbance at privately-run Addiewell nick in West Lothian.

Lewis also pled guilty to stabbing another convict twice in the face with one of the spikes during the melee in March of last year.

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The Crown accepted the pair’s not guilty pleas to six further charges, including an alleged knife attack by Deeney, 39, on armed robber Jay Johnston and the alleged stabbing by Lewis, 47, of security van robber Garry Owen.

Lewis – who received two life sentences in 1992 after being convicted of stabbing to death two men in Greenock, and a third life term for attacking prison officers during a major riot at Shotts jail in 2004 – also denied having a garotte, a weapon used for strangling people.

Livingston Sheriff Court heard that before the melee, Lewis had been eligible for parole after completing the punishment part of his three life sentences.

However, the new conviction meant that he had no chance of being granted his liberty and would now remain in prison “for the foreseeable future”.

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Jim Robertson, prosecuting, said the incident unfolded after prison officer Jennifer Ward spotted Lewis with a weapon in each hand in Addiewell’s Tay B Wing.

In one hand he had a sharp metal object about five or six inches in length and in the other a six-inch metal spike.

Mr Robertson said: “She saw the prisoner seemed to be quite agitated and, after approaching him, she told him to calm down and return to his cell.

“Lewis replied: ‘You don’t want to get in my way. Stay the f*** back!’

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“Another two officers approached Lewis and he started to run back up the steps to the upper floor and they followed.

“There was a prisoner there – Stewart Campbell – and officers saw Lewis strike Campbell with each hand, and it appears he sustained a couple of lacerations to the face.”

He added: “While this was going on Lewis was shouting to prison officers: ‘Get out of my way or I’ll f****** do you!’”

His involvement ended when he returned to his cell, Mr Robertson said. Campbell’s injuries were later treated by cleansing the wounds and closing them with Steristrips.

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At the same time as the blade assault, said the fiscal, another prison officer saw Deeney holding a silver spiked object in his right hand on an upper floor of the same wing.

“As he passed the officer he brandished that at him, causing him fear and alarm and said: ‘Stay back!’ on a couple of occasions.

“He then made his way to another cell along with other prisoners.”

Andy Aitken, defending, said Lewis had gone to the assistance of his co-accused who had been the victim of bullying by other prisoners over previous weeks.

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He added: “He clearly has taken the law into his own hands rather than going to the prison authorities as he should have,

“He’s currently serving three life sentences. The punishment part of these has been completed and he is currently being held having not been granted parole.

“A custodial sentence has to be imposed today and will prevent him from being eligible for parole for the foreseeable future.”

Darryl Lovie, for Deeney, said his client had recently been moved from Addiewell to Carstairs on mental health grounds after being diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

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He claimed Campbell, the victim of the blade attack, had started the incident by going to Deeney’s cell with other prisoners and threatening and assaulting him.

He said: “It would seem that Mr Lewis has come to Mr Deeney’s assistance.

“Thereafter Mr Deeney accepts picking up the metal object referred to in the charge and acting in the manner described.”

Sheriff Martin Edington sentenced Lewis, from Greenock, Inverclyde, to three years in prison, starting from today/yesterday.

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He handed Deeney, from Dunoon, Argyll and Bute, an 18-month sentence, to start in 14 years time when he completes his current 20-year prison term.

The sheriff told both accused that their crimes were aggravated by the use of weapons in a prison environment and the threatening of prison staff.

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