A SERVING prisoner who made threats against a prison officer's wife and children was spared any punishment by Isle of Wight magistrates.

The court heard how Andrew Harry Hill, 28, told the officer he would find him on the outside and made threats against his family.

An altercation between the two of them started when Hill had to be moved within the prison, but refused, Tim Cole, prosecuting, told Isle of Wight Magistrates' Court on Friday.

The officer warned Hill that if he did not move voluntarily, he would be moved with force, to which the prisoner replied, "If you touch me, I will put this in your face," gesturing to his pocket, suggesting he had a weapon.

Hill also said: "I will see you at Sandown seafront and harass your wife and three kids."

The next day, Hill saw the officer and repeated his threat after asking when he was going to be moved back into his old cell.

For Hill, Oscar Vincent said his client had been upset because another prisoner had been into his cell and poured a container of urine and other fluids over his possessions, including pictures of his children, and he didn't think staff at the prison were doing enough to punish the person responsible.

Mr Vincent said Hill wanted to emphasise that although he made those threats, he would not have carried them out.

Isle of Wight magistrates gave Hill and absolute discharge, sparing him of any punishment by the court, saying that he had already been punished internally by the prison as he should have been out on licence by that point, but had been held longer.

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