Teen Doncaster prisoner helped 'Snapchat killer' take prison officer hostage while demanding keys

James White and two accomplices planned the move at the Wetherby Young Offender Institute after tricking the officer into opening a locked classroom door.

White and Jack Rose - who are both 19, with Rose now serving at HMP Doncaster - appeared at Leeds Crown Court where they admitted a charge of false imprisonment, along with a string of other violent offences with makeshift weapons.

The court heard that the pair, along with a third inmate, had been in the education block of the detention centre on March 27 last year. The door was locked, which is standard practice, prosecutor James Lake said.

White asked a passing officer if he could unlock the door so he could go to the toilet. The officer unlocked the door, but White stepped out with the toothbrush in his hand that had a razor blade attached to the end and held it to the officer’s neck.

He demanded his keys before Rose joined in and began trying to grab the officer’s set of keys. The third boy also joined them. The court heard they wanted the keys to the classroom opposite where a group of rival teenagers were.

They eventually got the door open but the teenagers in the classroom forced the door shut. White, Rose and the third boy were eventually detained by other officers and the boys from the classroom left the room and began throwing chairs towards White and Rose.

The pair admitted false imprisonment, affray and White admitted possessing the weapon.

However, Rose also admitted Section 20 GBH and possessing a weapon from a group attack of a teenager in his cell from December 11, 2023 when the victim was stabbed and kicked.

Both White and Rose admitted an affray with weapons on February 2, 2023, and a Section 18 GBH with intent when they attacked an inmate with makeshift weapons, including a sharpened piece of wood, on August 14, 2023.

They repeatedly stabbed the victim and aimed kicks towards his head. The victim later said the attack “came out of the blue”.

Finally, Rose attacked another inmate on December 24, 2023, in the corridor. He ran up behind the victim and began stabbing him repeatedly to the head and face. He tried to fight back and then flee but Rose held onto him and continued to stab at him.

Rose even wore latex gloves in order to get a better grip of the makeshift knife , Mr Lake said. The victim suffered six stab wounds to his head and face and has been left permanently scarred. Rose admitted another Section 18 GBH with intent.

Both defendants appeared in court via video link, with Rose at HMP Doncaster and White from HMP Deerbolt in Durham.

White was jailed for murder in 2022 - having stabbed a boy to death during a fight in Bolton, Lancashire. He was just 16 when he was found guilty, and given a 15-year sentence.

He was nicknamed the “Snapchat killer” having arranged a fight with the victim on the social media platform.

Mitigating on his behalf, Richard Simons said the latest incidents were short lived, but offered little explanation into why he committed them.

Rose, who has convictions for violence, robberies, weapons and burglary, was represented by Michael Walsh.

In mitigation, Mr Walsh said Rose had been in custody since October 2021, just after his 16th birthday. He said the attacks all took place in a short period of time.

He said Rose had found prison life a struggle but conceded: “I do not suggest he has anybody else to blame.”

He said that Rose had been moved to HMP Doncaster, then to a prison in Nottingham before being returned to Doncaster. He said Rose was now “confident he can remain trouble free”.r

Judge Kate Rayfield gave White an additional four years and 10 months, and Rose eight years and 10 months.