'Intercity' feud led to mass brawl at Hindley Prison

CCTV captured the confrontation between inmates from Liverpool and Manchester on F Wing at the Bickershaw jail in May 2016, Bolton Crown Court was told.

And even after prison officers managed to step in and separate the rival factions, it was not an end to the violence, the court heard.

One Blackpool inmate, Jack Fawcett, was set upon by the Merseyside prisoners near some communal pool tables, suffering punches and stamps from a crowd of attackers.

He briefly lost consciousness as a result of the beating, before prison officers were able to intervene for a second time and restore order.

Fifteen men were originally quizzed in relation to the disturbance and later charged with violent disorder. This charge was later reduced to affray.

Andrew Mackintosh, prosecuting, said the offences occurred in an area known as ‘The Bubble’, on F Wing at Hindley Prison, which contained a food servery for two landings, Douglas and Noble.

“Those on the Noble side principally came from Liverpool while those on the Douglas side were principally inmates from Manchester, at the time of the incident,” he told the court.

The violence began at around 4.50pm as inmates from the Noble landing went to collect their meals from the servery, said Mr Mackintosh.

CCTV images showed Liverpudlians Peter Crabb, 19, Jake Higgins, 22, Kurtis Mackie, 21, and Charlie Fletcher, 22, playing various roles in the first and second disturbances.

Crabb, who is serving a nine-year jail term for firearms offences imposed at Liverpool Crown Court last year, was given an eight-month consecutive sentence by Judge Timothy Stead.

Higgins and Fletcher were also jailed for eight months and Mackie was given a four-month suspended sentence.

Several former Hindley inmates from Greater Manchester, who have also admitted to affray charges, will be sentenced on March 2.

In the aftermath of the violence, prisoners were transferred to penal institutions in Birmingham, Doncaster, Liverpool and Staffordshire.