We revealed earlier this week how child killer Roy Whiting had been stabbed in his cell with a ‘wooden shiv’, in what was the umpteenth attack on him since he was sentenced to life imprisonment for the abduction and murder of 8-year-old Sarah Payne in 2001.
Andrew Light, 45, is now on trial at Leeds Crown Court accused of trying to kill Whiting, 66, with a wooden blade at HMP Wakefield last February.
Prison officer Alex Dyson gave evidence this week, and told jurors that as Light was being led away following the attack, he turned to Whiting and said:
‘See you later Roy. That was for Sarah Payne.’
Which I’m sure he was already fully aware of, but I guess it added a dramatic touch to proceedings.
Giving evidence, prison officer Dyson said he was on a shift on D-Wing at around 4pm on February 11 when he heard ‘muffled’ cries of ‘boss, boss’ coming from cell D240.
He described how he arrived to see Light stabbing Whiting:
‘My initial thought was that he was causing major injury and that Whiting’s life was in immediate danger.
‘I could see lots of blood on the weapon and there was blood on the floor. Whiting was trying desperately to get away and he had a grip of the cupboard at his right-hand side of the cell.
‘But Light had a tight grip of him, and he could not get himself free.
‘Andrew Light had his left arm around Roy Whiting’s waist holding him, to stop him getting away. In his right hand he had a weapon, about six inches long, I couldn’t tell at the time what it was.
‘There was a lot of blood on Roy Whiting, there was a lot of blood on the floor and on the weapon, and he was stabbing him in his stomach, from behind.
‘He was stabbing him around the side, around the front in the stomach quite furiously.
‘He was using a lot of force. I thought at the time that he was killing him. There was a lot of blood. It looked horrific.’
PO Dyson switched on his body-cam and called for back-up while shouting for Light to ‘drop the weapon’, but the inmate ignored his orders.
The cell door was still shut at this time as Dyson waited for assistance, and he watched through the viewing hatch as Whiting cowered under the bed for protection, but even still, Light managed to stab him ‘at least a dozen times’ while he was under there.
Finally, a group of guards entered the cell and Light dropped his weapon.
Dyson told the jury that it’s protocol to lock the cell door when there’s a ‘hostage situation’ and that had he entered alone whilst the attack was going on ‘I’d probably get stabbed’. I mean, what’s he supposed to do, risk his life for Roy Whiting ffs?
Incredibly, despite suffering multiple cuts, Whiting’s injuries were not life threatening. In fact, aside from a ‘quite deep’ wound to his ear, all his other injuries were ‘superficial’ and ‘not life-threatening.’ Which is surprising, given that Light was in there alone with him, stabbing him dozens of times.
Light denies attempted murder and wounding with intent. Not quite sure how he can deny the latter, but we’ll have to see how it plays out in court. As for Roy Whiting, he better keep his head on swivel because I’m pretty sure there’s going to be a lot more where that came from.
For the time inmates absolutely battered a prisoner who took part in an acid attack on a 3-year-old boy, click HERE. Don’t mess with kids.