Two inmates have been sentenced to life imprisonment for attempting to murder a prison officer in an Islamist terror attack at HMP Whitemoor in Cambridgeshire. Brusthom Ziamani, 25, and Baz Hockton, 26, were found guilty of attempted murder after a trial at the Old Bailey.
The attack occurred on January 9 when the pair lured officer Neil Trundle to a store cupboard under the pretence of asking for a spoon. They then attacked him with makeshift bladed weapons, targeting his head, upper chest and neck while shouting “Allahu Akbar”. Ziamani also assaulted two female staff members who intervened.
Ziamani, originally from Camberwell, south London, was already serving a 22-year sentence for plotting to behead a soldier in 2014. He was handed a life sentence with a minimum term of 21 years. Hockton, from Dagenham, who was serving a 12-year sentence for stabbings, received a life sentence with a minimum term of 23 years.
The court heard that the defendants had constructed fake suicide belts, one made from a battery and pressurised can, the other from boxer short elastic and plastic bottles. Ziamani exposed the belt during the attack, claiming he had a bomb.
Mrs Justice May stated that Hockton was “inspired by extremist beliefs” and had a “terrorist connection”. She told him: “Your current twisted view of Islam needs to change.” Ziamani denied the attack was terror-related, claiming he only wanted to cause minor injury to secure a prison transfer.
Officer Trundle suffered cuts to his scalp, arm and shoulder and was left covered in blood. The jury deliberated for three hours and nine minutes before returning guilty verdicts on Wednesday. The defendants showed no reaction but were seen smiling as they were led to the cells.
