Killer admits kettle attack on jail officer

A KILLER who threw a kettle of boiling water over a prison officer at Addiewell in an "inexplicable" attack is the son of a policeman, a court has heard.

Liam Reynolds, 23, whose father serves with Grampian Police, lay in wait for his victim with a kettle as his cell door was unlocked at 7.30am.

Jane Hilditch, prosecuting, told Livingston Sheriff Court that prison custody officer James White suffered ten degree burns which covered seven per cent of his body.

Reynolds, 23, pleaded guilty on indictment to assaulting the officer to his severe injury on October 22 last year.

Adding 32 months to start at the end of Reynolds' present jail term, Sheriff Donald Muirhead told him he had pleaded guilty to a very dangerous crime.

Reynolds laughed loudly as he was led from the dock. He had served four years of a 14-year sentence for murder at the time of the attack.