CONVICTED rapist, Gintas Burinskas, slashed at a prison officer with a knife made out of a ball point pen casing and a razor blade while he was being served tea at HMP IW.

Burinskas, 41, is currently serving a life sentence for rape, with a minimum sentence of six years. He had also been convicted of rape in his native Lithuania, the IW Crown Court was told.

He admitted one charge of being in possession of a knife or offensive weapon when he appeared for sentence last Friday (February 9).

The court was told that Burinskas had been in a special unit at Parkhurst set aside for offenders who were due extra punishment.

On May 2, 2016, officers went to his cell to serve him a cup of tea, but when they opened the door, he ran at one and attempted to slash him with a home-made knife.

He was brought to the ground and the officer was not injured, said Tony Baily prosecuting.

For Burinskas, Oscar Vincent said his client had been on medication at the time of the offence. He said: "He simply was not thinking clearly at the time."

He was also studying an NVQ in English.

He had 20 months added to his jail term for the offence.