An inmate who assaulted staff at HMP and YOI Portland has been sentenced to 14 months in prison.

Mark Moran, 35, was sentenced at Bournemouth Crown Court on Friday after being found guilty at a trial in his absence to three charges of assault, criminal damage and possession of an unauthorised weapon in prison.

He was also sentenced to a further one month in prison – to be served concurrently – for a charge of common assault, which related to an incident involving a prison officer at the jail on Tuesday 10 May 2016.

The defendant had been convicted of the offence following a trial in his absence at Weymouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday 29 July 2016.

At the time of the offences, which occurred between May and July 2016, Moran was serving part of a 13-year sentence at HMP and YOI Portland for inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent.

On Friday 24 June 2016 the defendant spat out of the observation panel of his cell door in the direction of a prison officer, making clear contact with the officer’s back.

On Thursday 7 July 2016 a prison officer brought Moran a cup of water and left the defendant’s cell, closing the door behind them. Moran then threw the water through the observation panel, covering the officer’s chest and face with the liquid.

Two days later the defendant again spat through the observation panel directly into the face of a prison officer.

The following day Moran was moved to another cell and a large amount of graffiti was found over the walls of the cell from which he was removed.

Moran was also found in possession of an improvised weapon, a biro-type pen with a sharpened piece of hard material.

Due to his recurring offending, Moran was moved to another prison in September 2016.

Inspector Tony Burden, of Dorset Police, said: “Mark Moran’s behaviour was particularly unpleasant toward prison staff who were simply doing their jobs.

“Dorset Police is committed to working closely with the Prison Service to tackle violent and disruptive behaviour in our county’s jails and to ensure that offending inside prison walls does not go unreported and unpunished.”