Prison officer tells court of "tension" between staff and inmates before alleged riot
It's said to have happened back in May 2014
A prison officer told a court today how there was a lot of tension between inmates and staff at a Scottish prison the day before an alleged riot broke out.
Jordan Hodge, 23, said there was "general unrest" after five prisoners were placed in isolation following a disturbance at HMP Grampian on May 12, 2014.
He said other inmates were aware of the situation and felt that the prisoners had been unfairly treated.
Mr Hodge gave evidence yesterday at the trial of six men accused of forming a mob and being involved in a violent riot at the newly opened jail in Peterhead.
Robert Gill, 26, of Newburgh, Stephen Sim, 31, of Stonehaven, Michael Stewart, 31, of Forfar, and 30-year-old Dominic Jordan, of The Wirral, in Merseyside, are all accused of being engaged in the disturbance at HMP Grampian.
Sandy Mundie, 30, and 33-year-old George Thomson, both of Aberdeen, are also claimed to have been involved in the incident at the jail in Peterhead in May 2014.
Mr Hodge said he returned to work the following day and initially did not note anything unusual about the mood of the prisoners.
He told the jury at Aberdeen Sheriff Court that there was "quite a lot of hilarity" when he entered the C Section later that day on May 13.
Fiscal depute David Bernard asked: "I understand you noticed a smell of hooch or homemade alcohol?"
Mr Hodge replied: "Yes, I did."
Mr Bernard asked: "Homemade alcohol or hooch, is that something prisoners are permitted to have?"
Mr Hodge replied: "No."
The prison officer said he noticed that inmates had congregated in the left hand side of the unit and that is when he noticed the smell.
The six men are accused of conducting themselves in a "violent, riotous and tumultuous" manner to the terror and alarm of the people in the prison.
They are said to have acted aggressively with their faces masked while brandishing sticks and metal poles.
Court papers also state that the men allegedly wilfully or recklessly destroyed and damaged property there, breaking panels of glass, windows and furniture and kicking over a water fountain.
Pool balls are said to have been thrown along with buckets, bottles and a TV, with some objects thrown out of a window.
The men deny the charge against them.
The trial continues.