A FEMALE prison officer at HMP Risley was subjected to a 'repulsive' attack when an inmate threw a bucket of faeces and urine at her face.

Julian Hakim, from Bootle, launched the attack in the shower area of the prison while the guard was waiting outside.

The 34-year-old was told he would be given drugs by another inmate in return for 'potting' the woman.

CCTV played to Liverpool Crown Court on Thursday showed Hakim approaching the woman before throwing the bucket from one-metre away.

The contents landed on her face, upper body and trousers.

In a victim personal statement, the prison officer said that the amount of faeces in the bucket looked as if other inmates had contributed to it in the shower area.

She said it smelt 'rotten and disgusting' and that urine landed in her mouth.

Michael Stephenson, prosecuting, told the court how the woman called out to her colleagues for help before getting her eyes washed.

The woman said: "I felt so violated, disgusted and horrified.

"I don't know why he did it.

"I did not think I had offended the prisoner in any way."

She was taken to A&E but did not receive any physical injuries as a result of the attack.

After taking two weeks off work, the officer was moved to a different wing but inmates still taunted her, making gestures of 'potting' towards her.

This made her 'panicky' and put her under more stress, the court heard.

Hakim, who has a 'large' amount of previous convictions including battery, robbery and a blade offence, is now in HMP Altcourse.

Jason Smith, defending, said: "He thought what he did would get him some small benefit and a small amount of extra time added to his sentence but it has resulted in very serious criminal proceedings.

"It was repulsive and repugnant behaviour and he knows what he did was wrong.

"He is genuinely remorseful and wishes to apologise to the woman through me."

Sentencing Hakim to 20 months in prison, judge Neil Flewitt QC, said: "You pleaded guilty to an offence of administering a noxious substance with intent, colloquially known as 'potting'.

"It is hard to imagine why a human being would do this to another but it is something that it is increasingly common in our prisons.

"You did this to a female prison officer with whom you had no grievance.

"The reason was, you had been put under pressure by a fellow inmate to do this.

"You also have a very lengthy criminal record."