Teen killer Noel Reade bit prison officer at HMP Deerbolt

Noel Reade was jailed at Chester Crown Court in February 2022 after being found guilty using a Rambo-style hunting knife to kill innocent man Keagan Crimes in Cheviot Square.

Now 19, Reade was only 16 in October 2020 when he inflicted fatal wounds on the 27-year-old. He will serve a minimum term of 19 years.

But not even two years into his sentence, Reade has already committed a further offence at HMP Deerbolt, near Barnard Castle, which now serves as both an adult prison and a young offenders’ institution.

Durham Crown Court heard he responded aggressively when prison officers arrived at his single-occupancy cell and explained he was to be moved to a different wing

Reade kicked out at one of the officers, striking him on the nose. As efforts were made by up to three officers to restrain him, Reade was pushed back to the corner of the cell, where punches were thrown.

Calum McNicholas, prosecuting, said one of the officers involved then felt a sharp pain in his chest.

He saw the defendant biting him to the right side of the upper chest which he later described as being, 'very painful, like someone had a big chunk of my flesh'.

The officers were eventually able to restrain and detain Reade, despite his, 'aggressive and volatile' behaviour, in an incident said to have lasted between five and six minutes, on September 14 last year.

When he was later called to be interviewed about the incident, the defendant refused to attend.

In a victim statement, the injured officer said Reade’s reaction, being hostile and aggressive, was disproportionate to the manner in which he was approached.

Noel Reade (Image: Cheshire Police)

The officer said he struggled to continue his shift and had to attend the prison medical facility for treatment to his chest injuries, which included being given antibiotics and a tetanus injection.

He added that being in such a job he expects to face daily pressure, but he added that he has now changed his approach when dealing with such incidents and is now more guarded.

Despite Reade's still relatively young age, he also has offences for two assaults on an emergency worker, biting one, in 2019, plus two for wounding with intent and one of unlawful wounding.

Judge Jo Kidd said the defendant will receive a consecutive sentence to the life term, as he will be an adult in the eyes of the law when the murder sentence expires.

Amrit Jandoo, representing the defendant, agreed that was the case.

“Given his antecedent history, there’s little I can say about this case.

“He was, however, extremely upset about being moved when the officer approached and deemed it to be some level of antagonism to him, as he had struggled to come to terms with the sentence imposed at Chester Crown Court.

“But he had got settled by that stage and reacted in a highly inappropriate manner.

“I know Mr Reade is remorseful for his actions on that day.

“The reality is that he’s serving a substantial sentence, measured almost in decades.

“In this case, however, there was an early guilty plea.”

Judge Kidd said the Court of Appeal has made it clear that defendants who commit offences of violence, either on prison staff or other inmates, when serving prison sentences, should receive a consecutive sentence to the one they are serving, to act as a form of deterrent.

She told Reade: “You have a long time to serve in a custodial setting and it’s necessary for you to see there will be consequences for incidents such as this.

“I would not be doing my job if I did not pass a consecutive sentence for this type of incident and it’s noted you have committed previous assaults on emergency workers.”

Judge Kidd imposed a 10-month prison sentence on Reade, to begin upon the conclusion of his life sentence.