A PRISONER had his jail sentence extended by four months for knocking a Portland prison officer unconscious.

Levi Gordon Bellamy, 21, punched prison officer Michael McCartney so hard he was lifted off his feet and has no memory of the attack, which happened in the Young Offender's Institute on Portland on July 7 this year.

He pleaded guilty to a charge of assault and causing actual bodily harm during a hearing at Weymouth Magistrates Court on November 30.

Bellamy was already serving a sentence for grievous bodily harm, after he stamped on a teenager's head back in February 2019. He was handed a prison sentence of four years and four months for this offence at Isle of Wight Crown Court in April 2019.

While serving his sentence at the YOI on Portland, Bellamy lashed out at a prison officer who was asking him to return to his cell, prosecutor Andrew Newman explained.

Mr Newman said: "The general alarm was activated due to two prisoners fighting in an unrelated matter. As a result, all prisoners were asked to return to their cells. Prisoner officer McCartney was asking the defendant to return to his cell and fellow officers said he appeared to be ignoring him.

"Fellow officers reported that officer McCartney was speaking in a calm manner, never raising his voice.

"Mr Bellamy swung a forceful punch at the officer, the force of which was so great that officer McCartney's feet left the ground and he fell to the floor. He was unresponsive for a few seconds and it was believed he was knocked out."

Mr Newman added that as Bellamy was being taken away, he swore at officers before turning and spitting at them.

Mr McCartney was taken to Dorset County Hospital, where he was diagnosed with concussion and whiplash. Mr Newman said he couldn't remember anything from the incident.

Ian Brazier, defending for Bellamy, said the prisoner struggled with anxiety and post-traumatic stress disorder. He said Bellamy was on anti-depressants at the time of the assault.

He said: "He self-describes as someone who is a difficult prisoner, but he has been looking for support and assistance. He has been trying to take part in education while in prison but many classes have been cancelled due to the current situation."

Bellamy had his prison sentence extended by four months and was ordered to pay £300 in compensation to the prison officer.