By Adam Everett Lee Grimsditch
A prisoner left his cellmate with skin “melting” after dousing him with a kettle of boiling sugar water as he slept. Daniel Williams, who boasted to fellow inmates at Walton prison “I’ve done him”, permanently scarred his victim in a brutal, unprovoked attack. The horrific assault was the result of a disagreement between the two men over their milk rations and what was on the TV. Williams later falsely claimed that the other prisoner, who suffered burns across nine per cent of his body due to the attack, had actually “swilled himself” during a confrontation. Liverpool Crown Court heard yesterday afternoon, Monday, that Williams, also known as Daniel Lawless, and fellow inmate Boniface Kutara had been sharing a cell at HMP Liverpool for just a few days at the time of the attack on September 8, 2023. Despite there being “no issues” between them previously, a dispute arose when the 22-year-old defendant asked to use the complainant’s sugar and milk rations. Jonathan Rogers, prosecuting, detailed how Kutara allowed Williams, of no fixed address, to do so, but asked him to leave some for himself. But this led to the latter “becoming wound up”, “pacing up and down the cell” and “complaining about what was on the TV”. Kutara subsequently fell asleep on the bottom bunk, but later woke up with his “face burning”. While he initially believed that their cell was on fire, Williams had in fact poured boiling water over him from the kettle, having earlier added sugar to water in order to increase its boiling point, before proceeding to repeatedly punch him to the face and body, reports the Liverpool Echo . The victim was able to sound an alarm before “curling up in a ball” as the assault upon him continued. Prison guards thereafter found him “cowering” in the corner of the cell with his assailant standing over him and shouting. Williams initially claimed that Kutara had poured the boiling water solution over himself, but went on to state that his cellmate had asked him to turn the television off and that he had punched him as he “wasn’t having that” and “wasn’t being bullied”. While being led away, he went on to tell other prisoners “I’ve done him” and “he’s been done”. Join our Court and Crime WhatsApp group HERE Kutara was meanwhile left with burns to his face, chest and upper back which covered around nine per cent of his body, with “fragments of his blood and skin, which had effectively melted” being left on his bed. In a statement which was read out to the court on his behalf, he described being left with “terrible scarring”, having the pigment in his skin damaged and suffering from difficulties with his hearing and vision as well as flashbacks and nightmares. When interviewed in connection with the incident around a month later, Williams told detectives that he was the one who had been attacked and that Kutara “punched him then swilled himself with the kettle while trying to hit him with it”. He has five previous convictions for nine offences, having been serving a 10-month sentence for making threats with an offensive weapon, namely a hammer, in a public place and battery at the time. Charles Lander, defending, told the court: “The defendant’s behaviour speaks for itself. This was his first time in custody. He had only just turned 21. There clearly was a downward spiral in his life. “His father blames himself for his own incarceration. Tragically, two people close to the defendant died in 2022. Certainly, that triggered matters in this defendant. Given that his father was away at time, he was only young without that assistance. Matters spiralled. “He is described as having had a volatile upbringing. He has a history of self harm. Since he has gone into custody, he clearly has knuckled down. He is working and has a job within the prison, which allows him to get out of his cell. He is clearly adjusting to a prison sentence. “There are prospects for the defendant, once he has served his time in prison. His father has offered him work. He is doing courses in prison. It is hoped that, once he is released, he will be a better citizen and will avoid committing any further offences.” Williams admitted one count of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent, Appearing via video link to HMP Liverpool wearing a grey Castore t-shirt, he nodded as he was jailed for five years and four months. His mum was meanwhile seen in tears in the public gallery. Sentencing, Judge Katherine Pierpoint said: “It seems, looking at your previous convictions, that you have a temper. “Mr Kutara suffered really serious injury as a result of your attack upon him. That attack was in no way justified. There was some premeditation in that attack, in that you had put sugar in that kettle before you attacked him. He has been left with permanently scarring, and the pigment in his skin has been damaged. “You are still relatively young. You have been before the courts before. It is concerning to read that there is a developing theme between you and the courts, getting yourself into trouble when you are plainly losing your temper. Unless you sort yourself out , you are going to find yourself serving lengthier and lengthier terms of imprisonment. “I do take your age into account. You are somebody who clearly shows a low level of maturity, and I do take that into account. I have had regard to the fact this was your first time serving in an adult prison. “You are lucky to have a supportive family around you. There are plenty of people in your position who do not have their parents come into court to support them. I hope that it is right that, upon your release, they can give you support to ensure you do not find yourself in this position again. Do not let them down.” Join the Manchester Evening News WhatsApp group HERE