A prisoner at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham could lose a testicle after being attacked by four inmates in a pre-planned assault. Qasim Afzal, who was jailed for seriously injuring a baby, was set upon in his cell while the attackers filmed the beating.
Caernarfon Crown Court heard that the attack was so severe that one of Afzal's testicles had 'died' and may require surgical removal. The assault took place in February 2024, and the perpetrators were sentenced on Friday, April 17.
The four inmates—Zayn Abu-Manahim, 30; Zaheer Hussain, 28; Farhar Khan, 29; and Russell Lloyd, 34—admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent. Prosecutor Oliver King said the defendants entered the victim's cell and kicked and punched him, leaving him with no escape. Abu-Manahim filmed the attack on a mobile phone.
Judge Timothy Petts stated that the attack was clearly planned as a punishment for Afzal's crime against a four-month-old baby. He noted that the victim had been warned of the attack and given an improvised weapon to defend himself. The judge described the injuries as 'severe' and said the stamp to the testicle was the most serious.
The defendants have extensive criminal records. Abu-Manahim has 53 convictions for 85 offences, Hussain has 16 convictions for 33 offences, Lloyd has 21 convictions for 39 offences, and Khan has four convictions for drug-related offences. Each was sentenced to an additional two and a half years in prison, to be served consecutively to their current sentences.
