Violent prisoner douses officer with boiling sugary water in savage jail attack
Premeditated Attack Shocks HMP Peterborough
Tony McDonald, 39, already behind bars for grievous bodily harm, launched a brutal assault at HMP Peterborough on 31 July 2023. Armed with a bin of scalding water mixed with sugar, he waited for a female officer responding to a personal alarm before splashing the boiling liquid all over her.
The horrific attack left the officer with agonising burns and permanent scarring. A second male officer who tried to intervene suffered a broken wrist and burns to his neck, leg, and arm.
Victim Faces Lifetime of Pain
At Huntingdon Law Courts, Judge Mark Bishop condemned the attack, highlighting the lasting damage.
“She has permanent damage and doubts her career will be able to take her to retirement.”
The female officer underwent specialist burns treatment and multiple skin graft surgeries, while the male officer’s injuries added to the trauma.
McDonald’s Defences Slashed by Court
McDonald pleaded not guilty to grievous bodily harm with intent, claiming “voices in his head” urged him to attack. However, psychiatric experts found no proof of mental illness backing his claim. He was found guilty after trial.
Police and Prison Service Slam Attack
Detective Constable John Pentney called the assault “traumatising” and stressed the sentence reflects its severity:
“This was, and remains, a traumatising incident for the victim. While the sentence will not undo the permanent harm caused, it does reflect the seriousness of this unprovoked attack.”
A Prison Service spokesperson added:
“Prison officers put themselves at risk every day to maintain safety behind bars. Any attack on them is utterly unacceptable, and we welcome this significant sentence.”
Brutal Prisoner Slapped with Extra 17 Years
Judge Bishop handed McDonald a 17-year sentence to run consecutively with his current term. This means McDonald is set to spend decades behind bars for his cold, calculated assault.
