HMP Whitemoor prison officer Calvin Bishop understood to have subsequently taken his own life after attack by inmates Ralique Young, Zeshaun Daley and Clayton Barber

Three inmates who attacked a prison officer, who is believed to have subsequently taken his own life, have been handed extra time on top of their existing life sentences.

Ralique Young, 24, was with other prisoners in the exercise yard of HMP Whitemoor, near March, at 5.30pm on August 22, 2023, when he launched the attack.

Calvin Bishop was one of three prison officers supervising the inmates and was approached by Young, who brought up a previous incident where he had been forcefully put back into his cell for ignoring orders.

Young punched Calvin in the face and was joined by fellow inmates - Zeshaun Daley, 23, and Clayton Barker, 24 – who carried on punching him as he was crouched down trying to protect himself.

Another prison officer intervened and dragged Daley off Calvin, but was punched in the face himself.

The three inmates had PAVA spray used on them and were taken off the exercise yard. Calvin was taken to hospital where X-rays revealed he had a fractured knuckle.

A post on the ‘Never Forgotten’ Facebook page on March 29, 2024, which was set up to remember HMP Whitemoor staff who have died, said: “Words are hard to express, today we face the heart-wrenching reality of one of our colleagues, Calvin Bishop who has sadly taken his own life.

“Calvin was an individual who was vibrant, well-liked, and deeply involved at the prison. He will be missed, my thoughts are with his family, RIP Calvin.”

A GoFundMe page was subsequently set up in “doting dad” Calvin’s memory to help cover funeral and memorial costs and raised £5,900, surpassing a £5,000 target.

“Calvin unfortunately lost his battle with mental health [on] Thursday 28th March 2024, it has been quite the shock to his family, friends and colleagues, as you can imagine, we are lost for words and our hearts inevitably left broken,” a post on the page said.

“Calvin was the life and soul everywhere he went, whether that was at home, being with his loved ones or when he was at work.

“Calvin was a devoted prison officer who helped everyday be a better one with his infectious smile or being his goofy self, we can safely say it won’t be the same without him there with us.

“Calvin’s whole world was his family, especially his little boy, if you knew him you would know just how much he loved his son, all the pictures he would show, talking about him non-stop and saying he was his greatest achievement. Calvin's world was his son, he was a doting dad.”

Daley, Young and Barker were later interviewed about the attack, with Daley and Barker answering no comment to all questions asked of them.

Young gave a prepared statement admitting that he was in the exercise yard with Calvin but said the attack was instead just one ‘pre-emptive strike’ made in self-defence.

All three inmates were later charged in relation to the attack.

Young pleaded guilty to assault occasioning actual bodily harm (ABH) and assaulting an emergency worker in January.

Barker also admitted one charge of ABH at a previous hearing.

Daley denied the charges and stood trial at Cambridge Crown Court in February, where he was found guilty of ABH and assaulting an emergency worker.

All three were sentenced on Friday (April 4), where Barker was handed three years and one month on top of his existing life sentence, Daley was handed four years and two months in addition to his life sentence, and Young had three years and six months added to his life term behind bars.

DC Emma Purser, who investigated, said: “Although this may seem like an assault with no life-threatening injuries, a victim impact statement from the mother of the prison officer who was attacked has highlighted the upsetting reality and mental impact.

“In the statement, Calvin’s mother explained that after the attack, he had suffered from panic attacks and insomnia.

“She said his mental health deteriorated, he withdrew from friends and family and has since sadly died.

“She said Calvin was proud to serve as a prison officer and happy in his role helping others improve their situation, but since a young boy had always wanted to be a police officer and had been offered a job at Cambridgeshire Constabulary – but suffered a ‘vicious, underhand and pre-meditated attack’ and will now never get that opportunity.

“Prison officers do a difficult job in incredibly challenging circumstances. To be attacked like this is completely unacceptable.

“I’m pleased all three defendants have now faced justice for their actions.”