A prisoner serving a 10-year sentence for causing death by dangerous driving this week had his sentence extended after punching a prison officer.

Donovan Bradley Kitching, from St John’s, pleaded guilty to assaulting a prison officer and was sentenced to a further four months to run consecutively at the end of his current sentence.

Kitching, aged 33, was jailed for 10 years in 2014 after admitting causing the death by dangerous driving of Gwen Valentine, from Hampshire, on the Tholt-y-Will Road on April 26, 2014. At the time of the accident, he was under licence, having been released from jail three weeks earlier after serving a six-year sentence for aggravated burglary.

On Tuesday, prosecutor James Robinson told the court how, on March 10 this year, Kitching was being moved to the segregation unit of the prison.

However, when he was told of the move he took off his T-shirt and was said to have adopted a ’non-compliant stance’.

Kitching had to be restrained by prison officers but broke free and threw a punch which hit the left side of one officer’s forehead causing a graze near his hairline. He was restrained by other officers and later interviewed by police. The incident was captured by CCTV at the prison.

During the interview he gave a ’no comment’ response to all questions.

Defending Kitching in court, his advocate Deborah Myerscough said: ’Though Mr Kitching has been a prisoner since 2014 he wasn’t in receipt of any assistance from probation services. We are not sure why but since the offence he has been working with probation and has worked hard over the last few months to address issues which don’t appear to have been addressed previously.

’In my submission he is showing that there is a change in his behaviour and he is addressing underlying factors, particularly his perception about rules and how he is treated.

’The prison officer received no medical treatment and did not have to take any time off work. Mr Kitching was taken to the segregation unit and remained there for a number of weeks. He had no access to education or association with other prisoners and we would ask the court to bear in mind that is a punishment.’

Ms Myerscough went on to say that options were limited for sentencing as community service was not an option and a financial penalty would not be appropriate.

The advocate asked for any custodial sentence to be suspended, saying that it would encourage her client not to commit any further offences.

Deputy High Bailiff Jayne Hughes referred to a comment Kitching had made to his probation officer, when he said that ’the next time he was targeted he would not be walking to segregation’.

Ms Myerscough said that previously Kitching had felt he was being targeted but he had been working on this with probation.

The court heard that Kitching would be eligible for parole in August 2019.

While passing sentence Mrs Hughes told Kitching: ’This is a serious offence committed against a prison officer going about his duty in difficult circumstances. The probation report describes you as "having a heightened sense of being badly treated". You need to work on your own behaviour.

’Only a consecutive sentence is appropriate but I will keep it to the shortest period possible, taking into account that you have served 30 days in segregation.’

Kitching interjected at this point, claiming he had spent 12 weeks in segregation.

The Deputy High Bailiff ruled that the four months sentence would be served at the end of Kitching’s current sentence for causing death by dangerous driving.

Earlier this month the findings of an investigation into why Kitching had been let out of jail on parole before he drove a car that hit and killed Gwen Valentine in 2014 were published.

Kitching had been jailed for aggravated burglary and robbery.

While he was in prison or remand he was guilty of 33 adjuctions for offences including assault, fighting, damaging property, abuse to staff and disobeying orders.