It is an anatomy of a garden-variety prison bashing – a quiet word, a sneaky walk into a cell as others stand guard, a melted-down plastic knife made into a “shiv” and the inevitable understated account from all parties when questioned by authorities.

But this time the attacker – the then 24-year-old Tyson Booby who was already facing a significant stretch inside for serious crimes – had had enough by the time detectives arrived at Cessnock jail.

“Look, I done it, it was – look, I done it, whatever, I’ll plead guilty to it, whatever,” Booby told investigators.

“I stabbed the bloke, I don’t wanna answer any more questions, I stabbed him, that’s it.”

The refreshing honesty from Booby prompted detectives to charge him with reckless wounding – a count he later pleaded guilty to and had more time tacked onto the end of his sentence when he faced Newcastle District Court on Monday.

But it was the description in the facts which Booby agreed to which have helped paint a picture of life behind bars.

The ultimate victim, a Travis Henson, was inside his own cell, number 172 on the upper level of the J Block wing inside Shortland Correctional Facility at Cessnock, when Booby and up to six others paid him a visit on February 22 last year.

Security cameras had the time at 11.24am when Booby and the other inmates were first captured talking outside Henson’s cell.

It is not known what was said but three minutes later, at 11.27am, the CCTV shows Booby, Henson and four others walked down the stairs of J Block and into Booby’s cell, numbered 152.

Henson, Booby and three others enter Booby’s cell while a fourth prisoner hangs out the front before pushing the cell door closed “preventing others from seeing into the cell”, the agreed facts said.

“He paced in front of the door for approximately 20 seconds before he opened the door and looked inside,” the agreed facts said.

“After another 20 seconds [the prisoner] pushed the door closed and walked out of view of the CCTV.”

There are no cameras inside the cells, but what is known is that Booby is armed with what is known inside jail as a “shiv”.

This one was a “plastic fork or forks” which had been melted down and sharpened “to inflict stab wounds on the victim”, the facts said.

Henson is then punched, kicked and also hit with a sandwich press by Booby, the force causing Henson to briefly lose consciousness.

“The offender [Booby] broke the sharpened “fork” weapon after the fight and tried to dispose of it in the toilet,” the facts said.

All five remain in the cell for a further 90 seconds before leaving, with Henson suffering multiple injuries including a wound to his head and ear, bruising to the top of his head and nose, a cut to his lip and sore ribs.

After the bashing, cameras catch the inmates “disposing of their clothes”.

By this time, prison guards had become aware of the inmates entering Booby’s cell and after reviewing the CCTV, advise all J Block inmates to return to their cells before those seen in Booby’s cell are paged to attend the jail yard.

There is Senior Correctional Officer Grant Smith, who sees bruising on Henson’s face and blood around his mouth.

“After some brief questions, the offender [Booby] said: “OK chief, me and Henson had a fight but it’s over now”,” the facts state.

“The victim added: “Yeah that’s right.”

“SCO Smith said: “Misconducts will be submitted on both of you [the offender] and Mr Henson for fighting. Is the issue now over and dealt with?”, to which the offender and victim both replied: “yes”.”

But even if the prisoners thought the “issue” was over, authorities did not.

They check on Henson, discover wounds to his head which require stitching and he is transferred to John Hunter Hospital for treatment while police were notified.

They also take note of the sandwich press inside Booby’s cell before Booby speaks to detectives.

“Look, I done it, it was – look, I done it, whatever, I’ll plead guilty to it, whatever,” he told them.

“I stabbed the bloke, I don’t wanna answer any more questions, I stabbed him, that’s it”.”

He later added: “Just in the head… cos it was the closest thing to me” and later: “The little blue plastic sharpening … little weapon, yeah”.

“I’ll tell anyone, chief, I don’t care, yeah, I done it”.”

But Booby also tells detectives that after the assault, he helped Henson to get “cleaned up”, including putting a bandage on his head.

Booby also admitted making the “shiv”.

The now 25-year-old faced Newcastle District Court on Monday for sentencing, where he had pleaded guilty to reckless wounding and a separate charge of dealing in the proceeds of crime.

Judge Peter McGrath SC sentenced Booby to a maximum two-and-a-half years, which is not set to begin until September 16, 2027.

With a non-parole period of 15 months, Booby could be eligible for release on December 15, 2028.