A violent prisoner cried “Who wants it?” before throwing a kettle of boiling water at a guard.

Dominic Hedges, whose criminal record dates back almost 30 years, confronted the officer when he arrived at his cell in Elmley Prison on the Isle of Sheppey.

Hedges’s door had been mistakenly unlocked on the morning of May 18 last year and the guard, Omos Emaniru, had returned to secure it again.

However, on doing so he came face-to-face with the career criminal holding his recently-boiled kettle in his hands with the lid open.

CCTV as well as Mr Emaniru’s body-worn camera then captured the horrific moment a cascade of scalding water hit his head and jacket.

Hedges later pleaded guilty to assault causing actual bodily harm, with Maidstone Crown Court being told at his sentencing hearing on Thursday (June 5) - more than a year after the incident - that he was “disgusted” by his actions.

But the crook, who has 24 convictions for 58 offences to his name and is subject to life licence recall, reacted with “You’re going to kill us” as he was once again jailed.

The court heard the officer had only been working at the prison for a year when he was attacked by the 43-year-old.

The previous day Hedges, who has links to Greenhithe, Maidstone, Queenborough and Ramsgate, had been persistently ringing his cell bell.

He then threatened Mr Emaniru there “would be consequences” if he was not let out of his cell.

The guard, in response, told the inmate that his record would be marked with a negative entry.

Then, on the day of the assault itself, the decision was made not to unlock Hedges’ door as he was banging and making further threats.

But the court was told Mr Emaniru regrettably forgot and, on being reminded of his mistake by a colleague, went back to rectify it.

It was as he reached the cell door that Hedges shouted “Who wants it?” and threw the water at him, resulting in scabbing to the head as well as migraines and anxiety.

Prosecutor Nathan Fitzpatrick said the victim returned to work after two days, only to find himself physically shaking while unlocking cell doors and constantly looking over his shoulder.

“I was worried this would happen again,” Mr Emaniru wrote in his statement read to the court.

“I am now more vigilant and if I see a kettle it makes me think about what happened to me.”

At the time of the attack, Hedges was one month into a 16-month jail term handed to him for three other assaults committed on emergency workers.

It was argued, however, by his lawyer Simone Newton that his offence against Mr Emaniru was unplanned and had occurred “in the heat of the moment” after a restless night and substance abuse.

Describing Hedges as “wanting to pursue his acting career on release”, she told the court: “He had difficulties with drugs and had spent the night not being able to sleep properly. He was paranoid and hearing voices.

“He accepts he took some Spice and this made things worse for his mental health.

“Mr Hedges said he understands the prison officer doesn’t deserve to come to work and be reacted to in that way while just trying to do his job.

“He is disgusted by his actions that day and says he did see the officer some months down the line and apologised.”

The court heard that his offending began as a youth, and in 2008 he was handed what is known as a 54-month indeterminate sentence for public protection (IPP).

An IPP is whereby the offender can remain behind bars well beyond the minimum tariff, even indefinitely, and until the Parole Board determines they no longer pose a risk of danger,

If released, they are then subject to recall for life if they commit further crimes, breach their licence conditions or are considered by the Probation Service to be a danger.

Such punishments were abolished in 2012 but not retrospectively and have attracted widespread criticism.

Jailing Hedges for two years for the assault on Mr Emaniru, Recorder Daniel Stevenson highlighted not only the public’s concern over such attacks on prison officers but also the public’s consequential demands that inmates not be allowed kettles.

He also said the offence itself was aggravated by the defendant’s “very bad record”, the fact the victim was vulnerable and performing a public duty, and that it had been “significantly” planned.

But he concluded that while the thug posed a significant risk of serious harm, an extended sentence for public protection was not necessary in light of the IPP life licence recall hanging over his head.

The court heard that Hedges, who has been recalled to prison on several occasions, currently has no “anticipated” release date.