Prison officers have been described as "extremely naive'' after an incident in which a convicted armed robber attacked a Royal Gazette photographer.

And the officers involved in the fracas outside the Supreme Court are to be disciplined.

Labour and Home Affairs Minister Maxwell Burgess last night announced the action following an investigation into the incident and today he is to meet with the Prison Officers Association to discuss the events.

He also publicly apologised to Royal Gazette photographer David Skinner.

Mr. Skinner was hit on the forehead by a small hairbrush, thrown at him by convicted bank robber Rupert Elroy Archibald last Friday.

It happened as Archibald was led away from the Supreme Court following his conviction and 30 year sentence for his part in the armed robbery of the Bank of Bermuda in Somerset.

Initially prison officials declined to comment on the unprovoked attack, but the Minister spoke out after meeting with Commissioner of Prisons Edward Dyer and Deputy Commissioner Marvin Trott.

Mr. Burgess said there was no need for a complete review of security when moving prisoners as the incident was caused by a lapse in guidelines.

"There are clear procedures that must be followed when a prisoner is transferred from prison to court. Having investigated these, I am satisfied they are thorough and complete,'' he said.

"Unfortunately, and to my great concern, they were not followed on Friday.

The answer comes down to the extreme naivete of some of our prison guards.

"What this experience has taught all of us is that the rules are there for a reason. They are important and they are not optional. It is certainly a lesson that has been brought clearly home to the prison guards in question.'' The Minister said appropriate steps were to be taken to discipline the officers involved.

Last night Chief Justice Austin Ward declined to comment on whether there should be a full review of prisoner security at the courts.

Meanwhile, Rupert Elroy Archibald is set to appeal against his conviction and sentence for armed robbery.

His lawyer Archibald Warner last night confirmed that he had recieved instructions to appeal and this had to be done within 21 days.

Archibald recieved 20 years imprisonment for using a firearm and ten years each on two counts of armed robbery, the robbery offences to be served concurrently.

During his trial he maintained that he had nothing to do with the robbery.