A teenage inmate who threw boiling water over four prisoners at Jurby prison has admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and common assault.

Taylor Jake Murphy appeared before the Deputy High Bailiff on Tuesday, March 4, entering guilty pleas to two counts of each offence.

The 18-year-old has been committed to the Court of General Gaol Delivery for sentencing.

Prosecuting advocate Victoria Kinrade told the court that the four inmates were on A wing, at the Isle of Man Prison in Jurby, on December 13.

They were sitting at a table eating dinner and Murphy was seen standing in the door of his cell.

He went into his cell and came back out carrying a kettle, which he then emptied over the men.

It was said to have contained boiling water and sugar - a concoction commonly referred to as ‘prison napalm’.

The substance is often used in prison violence as a form of attack or retribution because it's easy to make with commonly available items.

The effect is similar to hot oil burns, making it a potentially painful weapon.

Following the attack, one of the inmates started shouting: ‘I’ve been swilled,’ which is said to be the expression used in prison for when boiling water or urine is thrown over someone.

The men then squared up to Murphy, but they were separated from him by prison officers.

An empty sugar packet was found in the bin, in the defendant’s cell.

Murphy was said to have been targeting one of the men with the attack.

Two of the inmates suffered burns to their head and neck, with peeling skin, while the other two received lesser burns.

The incident was captured on the prison’s CCTV camera footage.

When interviewed, Murphy, who lives at Derby Road in Douglas, answered ‘no comment’ to all questions.

Ms Kinrade submitted that the case was too serious to be dealt with in summary court, saying there had been a significant degree of pre-meditation, and that it was perhaps more by good fortune that the defendant was not facing four ABH charges.

Murphy was represented in court by advocate Deborah Myerscough, who argued that the case could remain in the lower court.

The advocate said that burns could be anything from transient to horrendous, but in this case all the burns had almost gone within a couple of days.

Ms Myerscough said that an updated psychiatric report was being arranged.

Deputy High Bailiff Rachael Braidwood declined jurisdiction, saying that the level of injuries was only one small aspect of an extremely serious incident.

Murphy will appear at the Court of General Gaol Delivery on March 14.

No bail application was made, and he is remanded at the prison.

Last year, we reported how Murphy was sentenced to an additional 14 weeks in prison after he assaulted two staff members while he was in juvenile custody.

The incident happened at the Cronk Sollysh secure unit where he was already serving a sentence for drug-related offences.

He was later moved to the prison when he turned 18 in March, 2024.