Maidstone Inmate Bashes Three Prison Officers During Visit
Diqueon Blackwood, 25, has landed an extra three years behind bars after launching a brutal attack on three prison officers at Maidstone prison.
Violence Erupts During Visiting Room Incident
On 5 January 2019, while serving a sentence, Blackwood received a supervised visit. Officers saw him move his chair and table closer to his visitor and even touched their hand—clear breaches of the strict visiting rules.
When officers tried to intervene, Blackwood exploded in violence. He punched one officer repeatedly before assaulting two others who rushed to help. The chaos only stopped once staff managed to restrain him.
Serious Injuries and Swift Justice
- One officer suffered a serious facial wound.
- Another officer was left with a cut on the head.
Blackwood, who has no fixed address, was arrested and charged with wounding with intent, actual bodily harm, and assaulting an emergency worker. He pleaded guilty at Maidstone Crown Court and was sentenced on 20 December to an additional three years in prison.
Detective’s Warning on Prison Security
“These were unprovoked assaults on prison officers who were just doing their job keeping everyone safe,” said Detective Constable Celia King. “Prohibited articles smuggled into prisons undermine security and fuel serious crime and disorder. Visits have to be closely monitored and are subject to strict rules. Blackwood’s violent actions were entirely unacceptable and he will now, quite rightly, face extra time behind bars.”
