Woman who threw boiling water over convicted killer at Derbyshire prison is jailed

A woman who threw a kettle of boiling water over a convicted killer at a Derbyshire prison has been jailed for 12 years.
Natalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 yearsNatalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 years
Natalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 years

Natalie Roberts attacked Josie Hollis while they were both on remand at HMP Foston Hall.

Her trial, at Derby Crown Court in December, was told how there had been tensions between them on the wing where they were both based and that Roberts had shouted out ‘murderer’.

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Hollis, who later admitted to the manslaughter of Sheffield dad Jordan Hill, went into the defendant’s cell to confront her and 35-year-old Roberts then threw the freshly-boiled water over her.

Natalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 yearsNatalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 years
Natalie Roberts has been jailed for 12 years

When Roberts was found guilty of causing grievous bodily harm with intent, she shouted to the jury that convicted her she would “kill herself and come back to haunt them”.

'Wish I had killed the b***h'

Now she has told a probation officer she “wishes she had killed the b***h” referring to throwing the water over Miss Hollis.

Sentencing Roberts, Recorder David Mason QC said: “This was a horrendous offence which has left Miss Hollis with permanent scarring to the left side of her body.

Natalie Roberts arriving at Derby Crown Court (Image: Derby Telegraph)Natalie Roberts arriving at Derby Crown Court (Image: Derby Telegraph)
Natalie Roberts arriving at Derby Crown Court (Image: Derby Telegraph)
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“You tried to pour a kettle full of boiling water over her head which I believe shows an intention to cause even more serious injuries than those you did.

“I have read your pre-sentence report and in it you said to the probation service on more than one occasion ‘I wish I had killed the b***h’ which does not help your situation.

“You took the case to trial and were found guilty of GBH with intent so I cannot give you any credit.”

What was said at the trial?

Josie Hollis, who was jailed for 15 years after pleading to guilty to manslaughter, had boiling water thrown in her faceJosie Hollis, who was jailed for 15 years after pleading to guilty to manslaughter, had boiling water thrown in her face
Josie Hollis, who was jailed for 15 years after pleading to guilty to manslaughter, had boiling water thrown in her face

The trial was told how how the incident took place in C-Wing at HMP Foston at around 7pm on July 27, 2017.

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At the time, Miss Hollis was awaiting trial for the murder of 23-year-old Jordan Hill who died shortly after an attack in the hallway of his flat in Southey Avenue, Sheffield, on March 23, 2017.

That trial, in February 2018 at Sheffield Crown Court, saw 32-year-old Bradley Onfroy found guilty of murder and robbery and ordered to serve a minimum term of 33 years.

Miss Hollis, 24, pleaded guilty to manslaughter and robbery at a previous hearing and was jailed for 15 years.

Jordan Hill was murdered at his home in Southey, SheffieldJordan Hill was murdered at his home in Southey, Sheffield
Jordan Hill was murdered at his home in Southey, Sheffield

What the victim told the jury

Giving evidence at Roberts’ trial in Derby, Miss Hollis said in the build up to the kettle incident the defendant, of Broughton Road, Handsworth, Birmingham, had “constantly abused” her in the communal areas of the jail such as the canteen.

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She said moments before it happened she had been supporting another inmate who was being verbally abused by a third prisoner.

It was then that she claims Roberts called out “murderer”.

Miss Hollis told the trial: “I was confused so I approached Natalie to ask her what she was on about.

“I walked into the doorway of her cell and saw she had a kettle in one hand and a cup in the other.

“The lid of the kettle was up.

“I knew what was coming so I went to turn away but she splashed me over the left side of my face with the boiling water. It was a full kettle of water.

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“I now have permanent nerve damage and I am on quite a high dose of medication which I don’t want to be on.

“It has caused me mental illness, I have real bad anxiety, I am sacred, I have to look over my shoulder constantly and I have permanent scarring down my back, neck and chest.”

'She splashed herself'

Roberts denied one charge of causing grievous bodily harm with intent.

She told the jury Miss Hollis splashed herself with the boiling water as the pair of them struggled in her cell with the kettle.

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Devon Small, for Roberts, said his client has a nine-year-old son and that the arson charge she was on remand in Foston Hall for at the time of the incident was dropped against her.

He said: “She did not expect the complainant to come into her cell.

“She was frightened by this, she thought the complainant was going to attack her.”