A Nottingham rapist who carried out a sex attack on a teenage stranger outside a college threw a bowl of boiling water over a prisoner in a wheelchair. Nottingham Crown Court heard how James Hamilton’s unprovoked assault left the victim with 22 per cent burns to his body. The man spent 19 days in hospital being treated and now has permanent scars across his body. And at the time of the incident the defendant, formerly of Bestwood, was serving an indeterminate sentence for the rape, which he committed when he was 21.
Jailing him for four years and eight months, Recorder James Willan KC said: “The victim was vulnerable given that he was in his cell and in a wheelchair and so he was unable to avoid or counter your unprovoked attack which you carried out without warning. There was a degree of premeditation and he has suffered permanent scarring to his stomach, arms and shoulders and you have also damaged his hearing.
“He told of the indescribable pain caused to him and during the 19 days he was in hospital he had to have burnt skin scraped off him. The only evidence I have seen (in terms of a motive) was that you wanted to get yourself moved to another prison or put in segregation and the authorities had not been willing to do this.
“Another person heard you say to (the victim) ‘this is nothing personal’ and so you chose him as your victim simply for your personal aim.” In March 2011 Hamilton, then of Cherry Orchard Mount, was handed an indefinite prison term for the rape of a 17-year old in the grounds of the Open University in Carrington, Nottingham.
Laura Pitman said on September 1, 2023, the defendant was serving at HMP Whatton, near Bingham, when he walked into the victim’s cell armed with a bowl of boiling water and threw it over the helpless man, who was alone and also serving a sentence for a sex crime.
She said: “They’d had no issue with each other before these events. The victim told how he felt the water on his body and then what he said was ‘shocking pain’ and looked up to see the defendant standing in his cell.
“He was immediately taken to hospital by ambulance and remained there for 19 days. He stated ‘I don’t know why Mr Hamilton threw the water over me’. He had to have blistered skin scraped from him and that the pain was, in his words, ‘indescribable’.
“He suffered 22 per cent burns to his body and suffered hearing loss because the boiling water perforated an ear drum. In an impact statement he said he felt anxious as he knows Mr Hamilton is still in the prison environment and they may cross paths.
“He is now fearful of being around other people and always has to stand with his back against the wall. He says he does not trust anyone anymore and does not let other people come into his cell.”
Hamilton, who appeared for the hearing over a video-link from HMP Bure, in Norfolk, pleaded guilty to assault occasioning grievous bodily harm with intent. As well as the rape offence from 2011, which he unsuccessfully appealed, he has matters of violence and robbery on his criminal record.
Stefan Fox, mitigating, said: “He understands he has brought this about himself and he asks for appropriate credit for his plea and remorse.” The fresh sentence will run alongside the indeterminate one and Hamilton will not be released from custody until the parole board says so.