Durham Prisoner has sentence extended after he attempts to cut fellow inmate’s throat with a razor blade believing he was a paedophile

🟢 A prisoner at HMP Durham has received an additional three-year sentence after attempting to cut another inmate’s throat with concealed razor blades.

Gareth Parr, 22, was in the segregation unit but allowed out to collect meals. During lunchtime on 17 July, he launched an unprovoked attack on a “trusty” inmate serving food. The razor blades he had hidden in his waistband snapped during the assault, meaning the victim escaped with only minor injuries.

Parr admitted he intended to “chop off his neck” and said he acted after another prisoner suggested the victim was a paedophile. He also told officers he was struggling with mental health issues and was not on the correct medication at the time.

The court heard Parr is already serving a five‑and‑a‑half‑year sentence for a knife attack in a pub and further offences committed in custody. Judge Nathan Adams described him as a dangerous offender with a pattern of serious violence.

The new three‑year sentence will begin once his current term ends, with the Parole Board to determine how long he ultimately serves.