Muscle-bound sex offender held fellow inmate hostage in terrifying two-hour ordeal at Doncaster prison

A muscle-bound sex offender serving a sentence at a South Yorkshire prison for crimes including possessing a firearm held a fellow inmate hostage, as he demanded to speak to the governor. 

Defendant Samuel Frost was serving time at HMP Moorland in the Hatfield area of Doncaster when, on February 26, 2023, he took a fellow inmate 'prisoner' and subjected him to a terrifying two-hour ordeal. 

Summarising the case against Frost, Judge Sarah Wright told him: "You took another inmate prisoner, grabbing him by the neck and dragging him back to your cell while shouting for the [prison] governor.

"You held him around the neck, and demanded to speak to the governor, threatening to stab him in the eye."

"You held him for a substantial period of time in the cell…it was for about two hours in total, repeatedly making threats to harm him."

The court was told that as he threatened the complainant, Frost also placed a pen over his neck. 

The complainant was left with marks to his neck and a number of scratches, the court heard.

In addition to leaving the complainant terrified, Sheffield Crown Court heard how Frost’s kidnap scheme also resulted in the other inmates being recalled to their cells as officers attempted to bring the ordeal to an end. 

A hearing held on February 22, 2024 was that at the time of the incident was serving a 12 year sentence, comprising eight years’ custody and a four-year extended licence period, for crimes including possession of a firearm and sexual offences. 

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Frost, aged 39, of no fixed abode, pleaded guilty to a charge of false imprisonment relating to the HMP Moorland incident at an earlier hearing. 

Defending, Zarreen Alam-Cheetham told the court that Frost’s actions were part of an attempt to get himself removed from HMP Moorland for his own safety. 

She said he was remorseful for 'putting the complainant in fear,' and now realised the impact upon him. 

"Upon reflection he knows he should not have behaved in this way…there was no intention to harm the complainant, he simply wanted the governor to listen to his concerns. His mental health was at an all-time low," Ms Alam-Cheetham told the court, adding that Frost had made a recent attempt on his life at the time of the offence. 

The court was told that Frost has a personality disorder, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism. 

Judge Wright noted that Frost displayed a 'lack of empathy'. 

Ms Alam-Cheetham said Frost had also had a difficult childhood, during which he witnessed violence, began taking drugs at the age of 13 and left school without any qualifications. 

Sentencing Frost, Judge Wright said she accepted he was 'remorseful' for his actions, and sentenced him to four years’ custody, which will run concurrently to his other sentence.

"This was a very serious matter," Judge Wright told him, adding that she regarded the fact that the false imprisonment was committed in a custodial setting to be an aggravating factor.