Inmate used rock and razors in attempts to kill prison officers

An inmate attempted to murder a prison officer and a fellow prisoner during a ferocious attack.

Aklakur Rahman used makeshift weapons constructed from razor blades to slash both victims during the incident at Wayland Prison in Norfolk.

The two victims were left seriously injured with each needing dozens of stitches.

The jury at Lincoln Crown Court was told that Rahman was subsequently transferred to Lincoln Prison and days later tried to murder a second prison officer using a piece of masonry he had managed to conceal in his cell.

He was then moved to Wakefield Jail where, despite being held under the strictest security conditions, he went on to slash another prison officer using a screw.

Philip Bradley QC, prosecuting, told the jury at Lincoln Crown Court: “This case concerns a series of violent attacks by this man in three separate prisons in the summer of 2017.

“The first of these was at HMP Wayland. This defendant subjected another prisoner, David Sutton, to an unprovoked and sustained attack on a prison landing.

“The suddenness of that attack is nowhere better demonstrated than by the inconsequential small talk that took place between them just beforehand.”

The jury was told that Rahman asked Mr Sutton if the canteen was opening and when Sutton replied that it was Rahman suddenly launched his attack.

Mr Bradley said: “Using a makeshift weapon the defendant repeatedly aimed blows at Mr Sutton’s neck and face shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ God is great.

“At one stage Mr Sutton was put to the floor but he regained his footing and ran away towards a locked security gate but Rahman was not yet finished and followed him using the weapons to deliver another blow to Mr Sutton’s neck.”

Mr Bradley said that prison officer Derek Walker went to assist Mr Sutton and managed to knock the weapon out of Rahman’s hands but Rahman ran to a nearby store and fetched a second similar weapon made from razor blades.

Mr Walker, assisted by other prison officers, ordered Rahman to drop the weapon but instead he pointed the weapon at Mr Walker shouting “I’m going to kill you. I’m going to die for the cause.”

Rahman then slashed Mr Walker to the head with the blade before he was overpowered.

Mr Bradley said: “Both attacks were notably ferocious and sustained. Both were directed at the victims’ heads and faces and in Mr Sutton’s case, his neck. Both attacks resulted in serious injuries.”

David Sutton later needed 30 stitches to the wound to the back of his neck and Mr Walker had 28 stitches inserted in his wounds.

Rahman was transferred to Lincoln Prison and two days later attacked prison officer Sean Humphries. His victim was one of three prison officers who went to Rahman’s cell to escort him to the exercise yard.

Mr Bradley said: “When the cell door opened Rahman stepped forward with a copy of the Koran in his hands. Without warning he then lunged at Mr Humphreys swinging blows at his face.

“He struck Mr Humphries three times in the face. He was repeatedly shouting Allahu Akbar.”

The prison officer suffered blunt force injuries and a cut which were inflicted by a piece of masonry Rahman had concealed.

Rahman was then moved to Wakefield Prison where he was placed in what the jury was told was “the highest security level” which meant that six prison officers were present whenever his cell door was opened.

On one occasion Rahman lunged at prison officer Daniel Preston aiming blows at his head and face slashing at him using a screw as a weapon. Mr Preston suffered cuts to his neck as a result of the attack.

Mr Bradley said that psychiatrists diagnosed Rahman as suffering from paranoid psychosis.

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.”

Aklakur Rahman, 32, denies attempting to murder prison officer Derek Walker and fellow inmate David Sutton

Rahman also denies charges of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm following the incident at HMP Wayland, near Thetford, on July 21 2017.

He denies of attempting to murder Sean Humphries and an alternative charge of wounding him with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Lincoln Prison two days later.

Rahman has also pleaded not guilty to wounding Daniel Preston with intent to cause him grievous bodily harm HMP Wakefield jail on August 16 2017.

The trial continues.