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A prisoner who was given nearly £4,000 damages because his cell light went out for almost 40 minutes has won the latest round of a legal fight.

Kevin Manley had been awarded £3,750 damages after a county court judge concluded that the operators of privately-owned Parc prison near Bridgend had failed to restore power in a reasonable time.

Now a High Court judge has dismissed an appeal by prison owner G4S.

Mr Justice Lewis heard how Manley had undergone a hip replacement and had “mobility problems”.

Manley had needed the toilet during the power cut – and had tripped over a slipper and banged his head on a cupboard while feeling his way in the dark, the judge was told.

He claimed that G4S had breached a duty to ensure that he was “reasonably safe” in his cell.

G4S had disputed the claim.

Dismissed appeal

Judge Neil Bidder first analysed the case at Cardiff County Court last year.

He concluded that power should have been restored in at most 20 minutes – but heard that Manley’s cell had been in darkness for nearly twice that long.

He also concluded that G4S’s breach of a care duty had caused Manley an injury.

Mr Justice Lewis ruled that Judge Bidder had made a decision he was entitled to make.

He analysed the case at a High Court hearing in Cardiff in July – and has dismissed G4S’s appeal in a written ruling published on Friday.

The judge said Manley’s cell had been plunged into darkness shortly after 8pm on January 4, 2013.

Mr Justice Lewis did not say why Manley was in jail or give his age.