Oakwood Prison inmate bit officer's arm over cell move, court told

Hamza Islam was serving a 27-month sentence at Oakwood Prison in Featherstone, South Staffordshire, after being found guilty of plotting a burglary when he carried out the attack.

The 30-year-old of Trinity Road in Birmingham assaulted the officer after he was told that he was being moved to another unit, Cannock Magistrates Court was told.

Mr Christopher Knowles, prosecuting, said: "On June 27 last year, four officers had been directed to move the defendant to a secure segregation unit.

"An officer tells him they are going to enter and upon entering the defendant does not comply and resists.

"This becomes more violent and it culminates in him biting the right bicep of the officer.

"Mr Evans was wearing protective clothing but the bite went right through the clothing and he drew blood."

The court heard Islam suffers from mental health problems, was under stress and not of sound mind when he arrived at the prison.

He pleaded guilty to assaulting the custody officer.

But Mr Glenn Cook, defending, said others were to blame for the attack at the prison run by G4S. He added: "The defendant arrived at the prison and was medicated and he was stable but then he was left un-medicated and he was not referred to any mental health specialist because he was told that there was nobody available for two weeks.

"He was scared and concerned for his safety. Nothing was done to help Mr Islam at all.

"On arrival the officers gave clear instructions telling the defendant to move to the back of the room and sit down on the bed, which he complied with.

"The officer was very heavy handed when dragging him from the cell and he cannot remember the bite but he accepts that he must have been responsible for it.

"However, I would go as far to say that the failings of the prison service led to this because of the defendant's mental state."

The case was adjourned for pre-sentence reports. Islam will be sentenced at Cannock Magistrates on February 13.