Levi Weekes (Image: South Wales Police)
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An inmate at a Bridgend prison has been given a 12-month sentence after an officer sustained a fractured spine during a violent confrontation inside the jail.
Levi Weekes, 25, of no fixed abode, was sentenced by Recorder Greg Bull at Cardiff Crown Court after pleading guilty to assaulting an emergency worker. The charge related to an attack on prison officer Steven Elford at HMP Parc on the morning of April 2, 2024.
The assault
A sniffer dog had flagged suspicious activity inside Weekes’ cell, prompting a planned search. When staff attempted to relocate him to a different cell beforehand, the inmate lashed out – kicking Mr Elford in the right leg above the knee.
Weekes then tried to bolt past the officer. Mr Elford responded by attempting to grab hold of him in a bear hug, but during the struggle his body was forced backwards at the waist. He described hearing a snapping and cracking from his back.
The pain that followed was “indescribable” and “off the scale,” Mr Elford said.
Colleagues rushed to help subdue Weekes, who continued swinging his arms, as Mr Elford could be heard screaming.
The injury
Mr Elford was taken to the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, where he was found to have fractured a vertebra just below his chest. The injury kept him off work for a prolonged period.
Why it happened
The court heard Weekes had been agitated about the prospect of sharing a cell with a prisoner who was using the drug spice. HMP Parc was in special measures at the time of the incident.
Defence barrister Thomas Stanway said his client had not intended or foreseen the severity of Mr Elford’s injuries. He told the court Weekes felt his concerns were going unheard and had “jumped on the bars” in a bid to speak directly with the prison governor.
Mitigation
Mr Stanway outlined that Weekes had grown up in the care system. He had also been the victim of serious violence himself while in custody, including being stabbed after a transfer to HMP Swaleside in Kent.
Criminal record
The 25-year-old has 21 previous convictions on his record, including racially or religiously aggravated assault, battery, and previous offences of assaulting emergency workers.
