Burnley murderer took hostage in prison siege

A BRUTAL Burnley murderer has been jailed for a further seven years after helping tie up and beat an inmate who had killed a 16-year-old girl.

Derek Lomas (28), formerly of Hobart Street, Burnley, and fellow inmate Michael Banks punched and hit Paul Knappett (36) after barricading themselves in a cell and telling guards: “We have got a hostage. If anyone comes in we will kill him!”

Hull Crown Court heard the pair, along with Knappett, of Hartlepool, were all serving life for different murders at Full Sutton Prison, near York.

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Banks and Lomas both appeared for sentence after admitting a charge of false imprisonment of an inmate on December 24th, 2010.

Mr Stephen Welch (prosecuting) said prison guards rushed in as they became aware of a disturbance in a cell, but the door was soon shut. It turned into a two-hour siege. Banks and Lomas began to beat Knappett, who was tied to a bed by his hands and feet, and Lomas hit him with a metal pan.

A towel was used to cover the cell door hole, but officers outside looked in through a crack to see if Knappett had blood on him and was being repeatedly hit by the two killers.

After a request to see if he was OK, the towel was removed and a prison officer saw Knappett on the bed with Lomas standing on the bed behind him with a ligature around his neck.

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Guards were goaded to talk about their views on paedophiles, but refused. Officers heard one hostage taker say: “It has been half-an-hour now. We may as well kill him.” Asked about what injuries he had received they replied: “We have broken his nose and stabbed him. He has two puncture wounds.” One of the pair told guards: “I’m going to rape your wife. If I get hold of you I am going to stab you. I wish when I first met you I had slashed your face off.”

Both men eventually surrendered and when officers went in they found Knappett still tied, but with only minor injuries. He had cuts and bruises and needed three stitches to his lip. He refused to give a statement to police. Banks was described by officers as calm but Lomas appeared to be under the influence of drugs.

Miss Rachel Cooper (defending) said Lomas was resigned to his sentence. “He does not want me to make any remarks in mitigation. While on the face of it this is very serious there is thankfully a lack of serious injuries on the victim.”

Lomas was jailed for a recommended 17 years for the murder of Damien Smyth (30) in October 2005. Mr Smyth had been walking home from a night out when he was attacked in Albert Street, Burnley.

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Mr Smyth suffered catastrophic brain injuries and remained in a coma for five-and-a-half months after being kicked and stamped on by Lomas during the unprovoked attack.

Judge Michael Mettyear gave Banks eight years and Lomas seven years telling the court: “On the face of it, it won’t make any difference to the release date but it is something that will be considered on release when determining his level of dangerousness.”

Both men have been moved to different prisons.

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