A prisoner who used a makeshift weapon to slash a fellow inmate across the face, leaving a permanent 10-centimetre scar from cheek to ear, has been jailed for six years. Jamal Ahmed, 34, carried out the unprovoked attack during Eid celebrations at HMP Dovegate in Staffordshire on April 10, 2024, Stafford Crown Court heard.
Eid attack at HMP Dovegate
Prosecuting for the Crown, David Farley, told the court that inmates who wanted to participate in Eid were making their way to the gym when Ahmed and the victim encountered each other. The victim said he had always had an uneasy relationship with Ahmed, but after reaching the gym, the pair shook hands and appeared to go their separate ways.
The victim then had a short conversation with another man who ran the kitchen. Suddenly, he felt a burning sensation on his face and turned to see Ahmed and his own blood on the floor. Mr Farley said: "The injury that was caused, he said, felt like a stinging sensation to his face, and he was bleeding." The victim was taken to Royal Stoke University Hospital, where he needed 20 stitches.
Arrest and conviction
After the attack, Ahmed walked off into a corridor, where he was seen dropping a small metal square. He was subsequently apprehended by prison staff. When questioned about what he had done, Ahmed replied that he had "done nothing," explained Mr Farley. He declined to be interviewed by police.
The case went to trial, and Ahmed was convicted of Section 18 Wounding with Intent, also known as grievous bodily harm. Ahmed's counsel, Tony Montgomery, said there was "very little" he could say in his client's defence, given the matter had already been contested and it had taken place in prison with a weapon being used.
Victim impact and sentencing
A victim impact statement was read out by the prosecution, in which the man said: "This incident has caused trauma to my life and a scar to my face. The mark on my face will always remind me of this traumatic event." He added that he fears being attacked in the future. Mr Farley continued: "I can't shave in that area. I always try to keep my beard long where the scar is, but it doesn't grow there."
Mr Farley said the victim claimed many people asked him not to go ahead with the prosecution. "Giving evidence in a case like this, in his situation, it's brave that he did," he said.
Stafford Crown Court heard Ahmed had previous convictions dating back to 2011, including robbery, actual bodily harm and theft. That included an incident in 2016 where he threatened a shopkeeper with a jam jar and told them he had a knife in his pocket. During the trial of his latest crime, Ahmed did not give evidence himself.
Addressing Ahmed, Recorder M Brown said: "While serving in prison at HMP Dovegate, you got a makeshift weapon, a piece of metal which was either given to you or crafted by yourself, walked up behind a fellow inmate and slashed him to the face, causing a 10cm wound from his cheek to ear. We don't know why you did this. You two knew each other. The victim said you had spoken earlier that day and shook hands. There was no issue or bad blood."
Recorder Brown said Ahmed came "very close" to being considered a dangerous individual, which would have warranted an extended sentence. However, Ahmed, of no fixed address, was sentenced to six years in prison. He will serve two-thirds of that sentence before being liable for release on licence. In addition, the judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the makeshift weapon.
