Inmate ‘told by angels to kill people’ found guilty

An inmate who launched ferocious attacks on two prison officers and a fellow inmate whilst shouting “Allahu Akbar” was convicted of three charges of attempted murder.

Aklakur Rahman slashed Prison Officer Derek Walker’s neck with a weapon he made from a razor blade leaving the officer with a gaping wound that needed 27 stitches.

The incident at Wayland Prison, Norfolk, happened when Mr Walker intervened after Rahman slashed a fellow inmate David Sutton who suffered horrific injuries to his neck.

Rahman was transferred later the same day to Lincoln Prison where he carried out another violent attack on a prison officer this time using a piece of masonry he had concealed.

He smashed the rock into the officer’s face leaving him with a number of injuries.

The jury at Lincoln Crown Court was told that as a result Rahman was transferred to the high-security Wakefield Prison where despite being held under the strictest conditions he managed to conceal a two-inch screw which he used to slash a prison officer’s neck.

Rahman, 32, originally from Ipswich, was found guilty of attempting to murder Derek Walker and David Sutton at HMP Wayland, near Thetford, on July 21 2017.

He was convicted of attempting to murder Sean Humphries at Lincoln Prison two days later.

Rahman was also found guilty of wounding Daniel Preston with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm HMP Wakefield jail on August 16 2017.

Mr Justice Pepperall adjourned the hearing for further psychiatric reports and remanded Rahman in custody.

The only witnesses called to give evidence during the trial were three psychiatrists and Rahman himself with the jury being told the defendant did not dispute the facts but claimed he was insane at the time.

Philip Bradley QC, prosecuting, said one psychiatrist has diagnosed Rahman as suffering from paranoid psychosis at the time of the incidents and two others diagnosed him as having paranoid schizophrenia.

The prosecutor said: “Aklakur Rahman does not dispute the fact that he assaulted the men. His defence is that at the time he was clinically insane.”

Psychiatrist Dr Oludare Asekun, giving evidence on behalf of the defence, told the jury that after examining Rahman he concluded that at the time of incidents the defendant was “deluded, extremely paranoid and was hallucinating.

“I came to the conclusion that he was suffering from paranoid schizophrenia at the time. He said he could see birds and butterflies. He said he could see angels. He was extremely delusional and very paranoid.

“I think he probably knew what he was doing at the time of the incidents but I don’t think he knew what he was doing was legally wrong. There were times when he was lucid and times when he was paranoid.

“He thought he was going to be killed. There is a bit of confusion about whether he wanted people to kill him in order to get to paradise.”

Rahman, in evidence, said angels had told him to kill people and told him he would be punished if he did not follow their instructions.

He said he did not know what he was doing when he carried out the attacks.

No date or venue has been set for Rahman’s sentencing hearing.