A prisoner’s nine-hour rooftop protest at Wrexham jail resulted in £50k damage and a two-year sentence.
Williams, 30, wanted his own prison cell and lost his temper, damaging buildings nearby. Police tried talking him down calmly.
Williams admitted to the criminal damage at the jail and a judge sentenced him to two years. The judge said repairs cost the public, adding that the prison system faces financial issues.
The prosecutor said this happened last March. Williams climbed onto a roof and the incident lasted nine hours straight, ending late that evening.
Williams demanded his own cell and threatened to wreck the roof further. He ripped pieces off and threw them, targeting officers below him with garden shears.
He also used a nail gun at them, and luckily, no one got hurt in the ordeal. The prosecutor noted “considerable disruption” and that the event caused hefty expenses.
The prison needed many resources to manage the incident. Officers stayed on-site for a long time, specialists worked on the situation, and they set up a special command center. Negotiators and a prison team also helped.
Williams damaged sheds and electrics. Tiles and lighting took a beating, and the total damage cost over £50,000. The prosecutor stated this fact clearly.
His lawyer said Williams takes ADHD medicine and hadn’t taken it for over a week, which might have affected his behavior. He regrets his actions now and understands he should not have acted that way. His partner is pregnant, his lawyer added, noting the baby is due soon.
The judge called the event “absolutely incredible” and criticized the waste of public funds, reiterating that the prison system struggles financially. The judge stated the public must pay since Williams caused huge damage as a prisoner, costing nearly £51,000 in repairs.