EDMONTON - An Edmonton convict who admitted pummelling a "notorious" child molester, stabbing him with a pen and biting him on the cheek has been sent to jail for eight months.

And while Victor Barasso, 49, remains unrepentant for the Calgary Remand Centre assault, he also blames guards for setting it up by knowingly opening his cell door while inmates in protective custody were out being given lunch in what he claims is a sport they call "Con UFC."

"The guards purposely set this up so they could watch a fight," said Barasso, who is currently serving time at the maximum-security Edmonton Institution.

Court of Queen's Bench Justice Sterling Sanderman accepted that victim Eric Wanamaker is an "odious character," but told Barasso he had no right to attack him.

"We can't have vigilante justice anywhere in our society," said Sanderman after Barasso pleaded guilty to assault causing bodily harm and possessing a dangerous weapon.

Crown prosecutor Susan Phillippe told court the April 24, 2007, attack on Wanamaker happened when Barasso's cell door was opened as a result of "officer error" and said Barasso used it as an opportunity and lay in wait.

She said Barasso repeatedly struck Wanamaker in the face, head and torso with his fists and a pen he had taken from him and also bit the sex offender on the right cheek.

She said guards eventually pulled Barasso off and the victim was treated for cuts, scrapes, bruises and bite marks.

While being shown a photo of Wanamaker's injuries in court, Barasso said: "Maybe he won't be molesting any more children after that."

He then apologized to the judge, but as he sat back down in the prisoner's box, he muttered the word "scumbag."

Defence lawyer Jack Kelly told court Wanamaker is a "notorious child molester" and said Barasso argued with him after accusing him of taking a picture of Barasso's eight-year-old daughter from his cell the day before.

Barasso told the judge what Wanamaker had said to him.

"I love my kids and you tell me you're going to screw my eight-year-old daughter, you're going to have a beef with me," said Barasso. "Guilty as charged."

Barasso told the judge that Wanamaker had thrust the pen at his face so he took it and "stabbed him up with it."

The convict also said he bit Wanamaker because the sex offender's dentures had got stuck on his knuckles when he was punching him and he wanted him to let go.

Wanamaker, 68, has a history of sexual assaults and was sentenced to 11 years in prison after being convicted in 1992 of sexually abusing a young girl.

In 1998 he and another sex offender escaped from the minimum-security Bowden Institution and was later found in a tent embracing a 14-year-old girl.

When he was released in 2004, Calgary police issued a public warning about his history targeting young girls.

In 2007 he pleaded guilty to possession of child pornography after being caught watching the illicit filth on a laptop while near a children's festival in Olympic Plaza.

tony.blais@sunmedia.ca