A prisoner who attacked a fellow inmate with a makeshift weapon, leaving a 10-centimetre scar from his cheek to ear, has been sentenced to six years in prison. Jamal Ahmed, 34, carried out the unprovoked assault during Eid celebrations at HMP Dovegate, a Staffordshire-based prison, Stafford Crown Court was told.
The victim, who was left permanently scarred and required 20 stitches, faced pressure not to give evidence during the trial, but ultimately came forward. Prosecuting counsel David Farley described the incident, explaining that both men had initially greeted each other with a handshake on their way to the gym, where others were gathering to mark Eid.
Following a brief conversation between the victim and another inmate, Ahmed suddenly struck the victim’s face with a piece of metal, causing a burning sensation and bleeding. The victim was treated at Royal Stoke University Hospital, where he received 20 stitches.
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Ahmed was seen dropping the weapon afterwards and was apprehended by staff. When questioned, he denied involvement and refused to be interviewed by police.
Although Ahmed did not testify at trial, he was found guilty of wounding with intent (Section 18) – a serious offence involving grievous bodily harm. His counsel, Tony Montgomery, acknowledged there was little defence given the nature of the incident and the presence of a weapon.
A victim impact statement was read, in which the victim described ongoing trauma and fear of future attack, remarking that the scar on his face was a constant reminder. He also noted difficulties such as being unable to shave the scarred area effectively.
The court heard that the victim had been urged by others not to proceed with prosecution, making his decision to testify particularly courageous, according to the prosecutor.
Ahmed has a criminal record dating back to 2011, including convictions for robbery, actual bodily harm, and theft. Notably, in 2016, he threatened a shopkeeper with a jam jar, claiming he had a knife in his pocket.
Sentencing him, Recorder M Brown described how Ahmed’s attack was sudden and inexplicable, given there appeared to be no prior conflict between the two men. The judge noted Ahmed was close to being categorised as a dangerous offender-an outcome that would have resulted in a longer sentence.
Ahmed, who has no fixed address, was ordered to serve six years, with release possible after serving two-thirds of the sentence. The makeshift weapon used in the attack was ordered to be forfeited and destroyed.