An inmate accused of a series of violent attacks in two prisons has admitted to multiple assaults with homemade weapons but continues to deny charges of attempting to murder five prison officers.
Aklakar Rahman, 38, appeared at the Old Bailey facing 20 charges related to incidents at HMP Swaleside in Kent and HMP Belmarsh in South London during September and October 2022. The trial, which began earlier this week, heard Rahman had attacked prison staff using sharpened plastic weapons and expressed a desire to harm non-Muslims.
On Friday, Rahman changed some of his pleas, admitting to five counts of attempted wounding, six attempted assaults on emergency workers, and three counts of possessing sharpened pieces of plastic in prison. However, he continues to deny five counts of attempted murder and one charge of possessing a bladed article in prison.
Pattern of Violence
The court was told that Rahman was serving a life sentence for three previous attempted murders and a charge of wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. Prosecutor Alistair Richardson described Rahman as a “highly dangerous man” with a history of violent behavior, who regarded prison officers as “kuffar”—a derogatory term for non-Muslims.
On September 23, 2022, Rahman allegedly attacked four officers at HMP Swaleside while being escorted to a shower in the high-security segregation unit. According to testimony, he:
- Punched one officer.
- Stabbed another in the forehead with a pen.
- Punched a third officer in the stomach.
- Stamped on the foot of a fourth officer attempting to assist colleagues.
During efforts to retrieve a homemade weapon from Rahman, he reportedly tried to stab an officer in the neck.
After being transferred to HMP Belmarsh, Rahman allegedly launched further attacks in October 2022, attempting to kill three officers. One officer was stabbed in the head and neck, while two others sustained cuts to their necks during the struggle. Rahman was reportedly found with the sharpened end of a plastic spoon.
Defendant’s Admissions
Under cross-examination, Rahman made a series of admissions, leading to his revised guilty pleas. He maintained his denial of the attempted murder charges, with the defense arguing the attacks were not premeditated attempts to kill.
Trial Ongoing
The trial continues, with jurors considering the remaining charges against Rahman. The case has underscored concerns about violence in high-security prisons and the challenges faced by staff managing dangerous inmates.
