Cameron Davis, a convicted murderer from Exeter, attacked a prison guard after being denied permission to leave his cell, a court has heard.
The incident occurred just six weeks after Davis had been placed on remand at Exeter Prison, where he was awaiting trial for the murder of Lorna England, a stranger he had killed in Ludwell Valley Park.
During a hearing at Exeter Magistrates' Court, it was revealed that Davis became agitated following an earlier confrontation with another inmate in a prison workshop. When a prison officer attempted to exit Davis's cell, Davis suddenly lashed out, punching the officer in the face and leaving him with a black eye.
The officer defended himself, and two additional guards quickly intervened to subdue Davis, who continued to throw punches, though they did not connect. Davis's defence solicitor, Rob Jacobs, explained that Davis had been on remand for only six weeks and was suffering from "severe mental health issues." Jacobs added that Davis, 31, of Exeter Road, Exmouth, reacted out of panic and claustrophobia when he was informed he could not leave his cell for the remainder of the day. Jacobs acknowledged that Davis was at fault and would have to face the consequences.
Since the attack, Davis has been convicted of the murder of Mrs. England and sentenced to life in prison, with a minimum term of 28 years. For the assault on the prison officer, District Judge Stuart Smith sentenced Davis to an additional 26 weeks, to be served consecutively to his life sentence. The judge condemned the unprovoked attack, emphasising that such violence against prison staff, who perform a difficult job, would not be tolerated. Davis's life sentence stems from his random and fatal stabbing of 74-year-old grandmother Lorna England as she walked through Ludwell Valley Park in Exeter in February 2023.
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