Robert Warnock, a 30-year-old gangster, admitted to a brutal assault on fellow inmate Jason Arthur at HMP Shotts on November 29, 2021. The High Court in Edinburgh heard that Warnock chased Arthur through the Allanton Hall wing before striking him three times on the neck with a razor blade-like weapon.
Attack Details and Injuries
Judge Lord Young viewed a two-minute CCTV clip showing Warnock attacking Arthur, who attempted to defend himself with a dinner tray. Prison guards were forced to restrain Warnock after the assault. Later that day, Arthur was taken to Wishaw General Hospital, where medics found that one of the lacerations to his neck came close to his carotid artery—a major artery supplying oxygen-rich blood to the brain, neck, and face.
Prosecutor Hugh Olson told the court: “Mr Arthur became acutely unwell in the hospital department and required two units of blood. He later discharged himself the same day against medical advice and returned to prison.”
Warnock's Criminal History
Warnock, from Greenock, is a high-risk violent offender with multiple convictions. His earliest release date is October 2046. In 2020, he received an 11-year sentence for attempting to murder Lynsey O’Neill with a meat cleaver in Greenock on June 28, 2019. He also seriously wounded her partner Scott Mitchell. Judge Gordon Liddle described Warnock as “a particularly dangerous man” and noted that his offending was escalating.
In November 2022, Warnock was sentenced to 15 years and three months for conspiracy to murder as part of a six-strong gang using firebombs. The High Court in Glasgow heard that Warnock orchestrated the attacks, acting like “a gangster” and turning Greenock streets into a “warzone” in revenge for the stabbing of his younger brother.
Potential Lifelong Restriction
On Friday, the court heard no motive for the prison attack. Prosecutor Olson argued that Warnock’s criminal record and current offence meet the legal tests for an Order for Lifelong Restriction (OLR), an indeterminate sentence meaning Warnock could spend the rest of his life behind bars. An OLR allows release only when the parole board deems the individual no longer a threat.
Olson stated: “His pattern of behaviour is such that it may meet the risk criteria. His being at liberty may endanger the lives or the psychological well being of members of the public.”
Defence advocate Tony Graham KC argued against an OLR, noting that Warnock will not be released for another 20 years, providing public safety. He said: “It is a real protection.”
Sentence Deferred
Lord Young deferred sentence to obtain a background report on Warnock. He will address lawyers at a future hearing on whether an OLR is necessary. Lord Young told Warnock: “I am going to obtain a criminal justice social work report. You will next appear before me on August 10 at the High Court in Inverness.”
