Two men from Oxford among group sentenced for incident at HMP Bullingdon

4 men attacked an inmate and caused injury to a prison officer

Brandon Hutchinson, aged 21 and an inmate at HMP Winchester, was sentenced to 18 months in prison, to be served consecutively with his existing sentence. He pleaded guilty to assault and affray charges.

 Connor Hutchinson, aged 22 and a prisoner at HMP Oakwood, was recalled on license and also received an 18-month prison sentence after pleading guilty to assault and affray.

 Ross Cantwell, aged 36, from Warburg Crescent, Oxford, was sentenced to 15 months’ imprisonment for affray.

Meanwhile, Louie Withers, aged 34, from Field Avenue, Oxford, received the same sentence after pleading guilty to affray.

On 13th February 2022, at approximately 3:30 pm, when Cantwell, Withers, and Brandon Hutchinson assaulted another inmate in a wing of HMP Bullingdon.

The victim was repeatedly punched, causing him to fall to the ground, where Brandon Hutchinson and Cantwell proceeded to stamp on his head and kick him.

Prison officers promptly intervened to stop the assault and separate the involved prisoners. Brandon Hutchinson attempted to flee but was pursued and restrained by a male prison officer.

Connor Hutchinson then pushed the same prison officer, causing him to fall to the ground. Both brothers continued to assault the officer by punching and kneeing him, resulting in injuries to his head and body.

The prison officer sustained permanent scarring to his head as a result of the attack.

Additional prison officers intervened to assist their colleagues.

 Connor Hutchinson proceeded to punch a female prison officer in the face and pushed another female officer toward the railings, almost causing her to fall into the middle netting.

The Hutchinson brothers were eventually restrained by more officers. Withers pushed another prison officer and then retreated to his cell, where he retrieved a crutch and brandished it. However, he was swiftly restrained by the officers.

Cantwell, while being restrained by a prison officer, grabbed the officer around the throat before being overpowered and restrained by the other officers present.

All charges were brought against all four men in January 2023.

Investigating officer, PC Andrew Gold, of the Prison Crime Team, said: “This was a very serious incident which had a very detrimental effect on not just the victims, but on all attending staff and the other inmates on the wing who witnessed it.

“Prison Officers should not have to accept being subjected to such violence and aggression in the normal course of their duties.

“I am satisfied that all four men have been given further custodial sentences, which reflects the seriousness of their behaviour.”