A PRISON officer quit the service after death threats were made by a long-term inmate at a top security jail.

The officer, who cannot be named, left his job of almost a dozen years, as a result of the threat, made by Youssef Abouri to another inmate, in a gym at Frankland Prison, Durham, in May, 2013.

Durham Crown Court heard that in a general chat about prison staff, Abouri specified the officer by name and told the other inmate: “I will ****ing kill him.”

Peter Sabiston, prosecuting, said Abouri’s face contorted as he said it, giving the other inmate the impression, “he meant it”.

Concern was raised with prison staff, who searched Abouri’s cell and found two plastic knives, one sharpened to a point.

He claimed he was bullied and “given a hard time” on the officer’s wing, but said he only meant to push him down the stairs, or some similar action.

Abouri was unable to explain the presence of the sharpened knife, but questioned whether that could kill someone.

Mr Sabiston said the officer felt he did not have any real problems with anyone on the wing, although he was aware Abouri, who was considered “awkward and demanding”, did not like him.

Despite this he did not feel the defendant was “directly threatening or aggressive” to him.

Mr Sabiston added: “The Crown’s case is that he meant these threats to be taken very seriously, but we’re not in a position to say whether or not they were actually meant.”

Abouri, 56, who came to the UK from Morocco, is serving an indeterminate sentence after a rape conviction in London, in 2007, which followed previous offences of violence.

Despite previously denying making a threat to kill, he changed his plea to “guilty” at the start of the hearing.

In a victim statement read to the court, the former officer said the threats “pushed” him into leaving the Prison Service after almost 12 years to seek alternative, lower paid employment.

“I had just got married and I did not want to bring it home.

“I understand working in prison is difficult, but I never thought it would become personal.”

He said he felt he “got on well” with inmates, but added: “I feel that I will never work in prison or the custody environment again, because of the threat of Abouri.”

Chris Morrison, mitigating, said they were not direct threats and there was “no realistic prospect” of them being carried out by the defendant.

He added that Abouri, who has taken anger management classes in prison, will only be released with the consent of the Parole Board.

Jailing him for 18 months, Judge Christopher Prince said it would not add anything to an indeterminate sentence, but he asked that the Parole Board is informed of the conviction when it comes to consider Abouri’s eventual release date.