A guard at HMP The Mount was punched and kicked in the face by two inmates when he tried to confiscate a mobile phone.

Kevin Gwyther was left semi-conscious after heavily built violent offender Edward Highton, kicked him in the head as he tried to get up.

The guard at the Bovingdon prison required hospital treatment and remained “uneasy” after returning to work, St Albans Crown Court heard on Tuesday.

Highton, serving a 56-month sentence for violent offences pleaded guilty to common assault at a previous hearing.

At around 2pm on Wednesday, November 14, Mr Gwyther was doing his rounds as duty officer, making sure the prisoners were carrying out their afternoon activities.

When he got to the cell of Sunny Taiwo, he saw two men inside, when there should only be one. Taiwo was on a mobile phone and was heard saying “I will call you back”.

Mobiles are prohibited items and the guard ordered Taiwo to hand it to him, as well as pressing his personal alarm. It was then that matters turned violent.

In the struggle for the phone Mr Gwyther grabbed both prisoners, but Taiwo passed the phone to Highton, who ran out of the cell.

As Mr Gwyther followed him he was punched in the face by Taiwo. The guard now grabbed Highton, who passed the phone back to Taiwo, as the pair wrestled on the floor with the guard desperately calling for assistance.

Highton got up and kicked Mr Gwyther in the head. As Mr Gwyther struggled to his hands and knees Highton returned and kicked him in the face again, leaving him lying there semi conscious.

In mitigation the court heard 27-year-old Highton had grown up being racially abused in the Midlands because he was mixed race. He had been brought up by a family of “strict disciplinarians” who regularly dished out corporal punishment, and as a result maybe resorted to violence himself. He had voluntarily undertaken 30 courses and was attempting to better himself.

Highton is due for release in January.

Judge John Plumstead imposed a three-month extension on his sentence. The maximum sentence for such an offence is six months.

Judge Plumstead said: “There is absolutely no excuse to lash out at a prison officer. They are in a sense just as confined as you and prison can only function if they are given respect.”

He added: “Remember, you are a big bloke and if you do not keep your temper you’re likely to get in big trouble.”

The case against Taiwo was not pursued, in the public interest, and he was dealt with by internal disciplinary procedures.

Both men were removed to different prisons after the attack.