Inmates offer no defence after jailhouse attack

Three inmates accused of attacking a Belmarsh Prison officer ‘like a pack of animals’ have refused to offer any defence.

Hashem Abedi, 24, alongside Ahmed Hassan, 22, and Muhammed Saeed, 23, allegedly assaulted Paul Edwards, 57, at the maximum security jail in southeast London on 11 May 2020.

Saeed ‘karate kicked’ the custodian manager in the head while Abedi swung an office chair at him, Woolwich Crown Court has heard.

Mr Edwards, who had worked at the Woolwich prison for 25 years, has said he ‘feared for his life’ as the prisoners set upon him.

He sustained lacerations to the top of his scalp, bruising, and a blow to the side of his ear that has caused permanent auditory loss.

As colleagues came to his aid Abedi allegedly kicked prison officer Nick Barnett in the shin before all three prisoners were restrained.

When asked whether he assaulted Mr Edwards in court Abedi replied: ‘I did assault that filthy pig but I see no wrongdoing’.

Jurors were told that the attackers went after Mr Edwards after he removed privileges from Abedi and Hassan for shaving their heads.

At the end of the prosecution’s case, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb asked the defendants if they would be presenting any defence to the charges but they each refused.

The judge told Abedi, who is representing himself: ‘Are you aware that the stage has been reached a which you can give evidence if you chose to.’

Bespectacled and sporting long unkept hair Abedi replied: ‘Yes.’

He further confirmed that he understood he didn’t need to have a lawyer and could give evidence himself.

The judge told Abedi: ‘Do you understand if you chose not to give evidence it will be permissible for the jury to draw such common sense conclusions from that conclusion as is proper and fair in light of the evidence in this case.’

The other two accused attackers in the dock, also sporting long messy hairstyles, also declined to mount a defence through their lawyers.

All three deny assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to the attack on Mr Edwards.

Abedi further denies assault of an emergency worker in relation to Mr Barnett.