A man who damaged his cell at Norwich Prison and assaulted two prison officers has been ordered to undertake an anger management programme as part of his sentence.

Shane Gull, or Nicholls as he is also known, pleaded guilty at Norwich Magistrates' Court to two offences of criminal damage to property valued under �5,000 and two offences of assaulting a constable in the execution of his or her duty.

Lisa Mayne, prosecuting, said in October last year Gull, 36, was doing time at HMP Norwich for three assaults, including one of assaulting a police constable.

On October 22, Gull assaulted prison officer Kerry Norman. Mrs Mayne said Gull had wanted to give the officer an application but she refused because it was 'covered in blood' and asked the defendant to re-do it and give it to the landing officer.

She said Gull felt aggrieved as he did not know who the landing officer was and became verbally abusive and so the decision was taken to restrain him.

Mrs Mayne said: 'It was during the course of this procedure that he used his leg and kicked out'.

Two days later Gull was asked to move away from the out-of-bounds area in the prison exercise yard. Mrs Mayne said he kicked out at and then punched prison officer Timothy Frosdick in the face, which led to him being restrained.

Earlier in the month, Gull attempted to destroy a mattress by tearing off pieces and throwing them out of the cell window. He was also spotted using a plastic knife to damage a window frame and tried to flood his cell using water from the toilet. A few days later he was digging out plaster from the wall of another cell.

Gavin Cowe, mitigating, said Gull, who is staying at a Salvation Army hostel in Fore Street, Ipswich, pleaded guilty to all offences. Mr Cowe said the assault on prison officer Norman occurred after he had become upset at being told to re-do a form but without knowing who to give it to.

He said Gull pleaded guilty on the basis that he was reckless in kicking out and 'could've come into contact with anyone, but it happened to be officer Norman'.

Mr Cowe said in respect of the second assault, Gull, who was not the only person standing in an out of bounds area, felt he was 'targeted'. He added: 'It's a brief assault, injury is caused but not lasting.'

He said the criminal damage was 'simple and straightforward, born out of boredom'.

Gull was sentenced to an 18 month community order with 18 months supervision with a requirement that he undertake an anger replacement training programme.