An Ipswich man has been jailed after punching a prison officer in the face so hard that she needed dental surgery abroad.

On Tuesday, Paul Adams, of Lower Brook Street in Ipswich, appeared before Suffolk Magistrates’ Court.

The 42-year-old was facing a charge of inflicting grievous bodily harm against a woman, which he admitted. 

The incident took place on May 10, when Adams was a serving prisoner at HMP Norwich. 

The court heard that a female prison officer had attended Adams’ cell after he pressed his emergency alarm.

On opening the door, the officer said that Adams came rushing towards her from the back of his cell, grabbing the door to fully open it. She said that he was visibly angry, shouting and pointing at her.

The officer said she told Adams to calm down, to which he replied "I never should have married you" and punched the side of her face.

CCTV footage played to the court shows the officer stepping back, and several inmates rushing to her aid and into Adams’ cell.

Colette Harper, for the prosecution, said that the victim’s tooth pieced her lip, leaving her requiring eight stitches. Two of her teeth were severely damaged, and the victim travelled to Turkey to receive dental surgery costing £326.76.

Dino Barricella, speaking in Adams’ defence, told the court that his client struggled with his mental health, having been diagnosed with schizophrenia.

This, he said, explained the strange comment he had made to the victim, for they were not and never had been married.

Upon his release, he said Adams had spent time in a mental health facility.

Mr Barricella said that Adams was remorseful for the injuries he had caused the victim, and that he had been assaulted in his cell by fellow inmates immediately afterwards.

He added that, given the fact that Adams had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity, he was “at a loss” to understand why the matter had not been dealt with at an earlier stage, while Adams was still a serving prisoner.

The presiding magistrates sentenced Adams to 20 weeks in custody, which they had reduced from 38 weeks in light of Adams’ mental health struggles and his pleading guilty at the first opportunity. 

Adams was also ordered to pay for the victim's dental work, and compensation of £500.

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