A prisoner who used pool balls in a sock as an improvised weapon to smash windows, will have to pay for the repair upon his release.

Dennis Skiller, an inmate at HMP Guys Marsh, smashed four panes of glass, showering shattered glass onto a prison officer.

He admitted criminal damage and assaulting a constable in the execution of his duty when he appeared at Weymouth Magistrates Court.

The court heard on July 17, 2018 Skiller took pool balls from the prison pool table, placed them in a sock and swung the make-shift weapon and smashed four panes of glass in the wing office, causing £600 worth of damage.

Richard Oakley, prosecuting, said the incident caused broken glass to fly into the office, showering prison officer, Aidan Gilchrist in glass.

Mr Oakley said the glass landed in Mr Gilchrist's hair and mouth and one piece landing in his eye which he had to remove.

Following the incident, Mr Gilchrist reported a cut to his bottom lip and inflammation and soreness to his right eye.

In a statement read in court he said: "At the time I felt pain and anger. Being glass it could have been much more serious."

Mr Oakley told the court Skiller calmly walked away from the scene while a fellow inmate picked up the balls and placed them back on the table.

Patricia Sheehan, mitigating said Skiller was a "vulnerable prisoner" and had been "badly bullied" while at Guys Marsh.

"He had just about reached the end of his tether. He never had any intention of assaulting a prison officer," she said. "It was a very difficult time for him. He had reached a very low ebb and had asked to be moved out of the prison but it hadn't happened."

The court heard Skiller was due to be released in June 2019 after a "lengthy prison sentence" for a series of burglaries.

However, chairman of the bench John Young said: "This sort of behaviour is completely unacceptable in prisons."

Skiller was ordered to pay £50 compensation to Mr Gilchrist and £200 towards the cost of repairs which will be paid on his release from prison.