Prisoner Hashem Abedi 'seen smiling in CCTV footage before attack on Belmarsh officer'

A prisoner is seen smiling in CCTV footage before launching an “animalistic” attack on a Belmarsh officer, leaving him in fear for his life, a court has heard.

Paul Edwards, 57, was allegedly hit with a chair and repeatedly punched and kicked in his office by Hashem Abedi, 24, Ahmed Hassan, 22, and Muhammed Saeed, 23, on May 11 2020.

Woolwich Crown Court heard the custodian manager, who had worked in Belmarsh for 25 years, was responsible for removing privileges from Abedi and Hassan after they shaved their heads.

Mr Edwards said he believed Abedi to be the “amir” or “leader”, who had orchestrated complaints about the regime inside the High Security Unit, known as a “prison within a prison”.

CCTV footage played to the jury on Wednesday shows Abedi, wearing a blue Adidas tracksuit, white cap and glasses, smiling before the three defendants run towards Mr Edwards’ office closely followed by prison officers.

Earlier footage shows Abedi and Hassan, with a black and white hat and dark clothing, being escorted to the prison exercise yard, returning around half an hour later with Saeed, who has long hair tied in a ponytail.

Saeed launched a “karate kick” at Mr Edwards’ head before Abedi grabbed an office chair and swung it at the officer, hitting his head, the court heard.

“With that and the kick, I actually ended up on the floor,” Mr Edwards said.

“Mr Abedi and Mr Saeed were kicking and punching me.

“They were making contact with my back, my legs, my ribs, my arms and my face as well.

“I feared for my life. At that point I saw Mr Hassan come in as well, the third man, who proceeded to kick and punch me as well.

“I just knew I had to fight to get out of there so I began to punch and kick in every direction to be honest.”

Mr Edwards added: “I feared for my life and I genuinely thought if I hadn’t fought back I could end up with at least extreme injuries or dead.”

He said it was only a matter of seconds but “it felt like a lifetime” before colleagues, including Nick Barnett, who has been a prison officer for 21 years, came to his aid.

Mr Barnett said he had “absolutely no expectation that anything like that was going to happen”, describing the “utter chaos” in Mr Edwards’ office.

“It was just like a pack of animals on Mr Edwards,” he said.

“It was just a vicious attack where they were literally all over him.”

Mr Barnett alleged he was kicked in the shin by Abedi and was left with a small bruise before the prisoners were restrained.

Mr Edwards, who can be seen with head injuries and blood on his shirt in CCTV footage, suffered lacerations to his head, bruising to his back and rib cage, and has lasting damage to his hearing.

All three defendants are charged with assault causing actual bodily harm (ABH) to Mr Edwards.

Abedi, who is defending himself, is also charged with assault by beating of an emergency worker over the alleged attack on Mr Barnett.

They all deny the charges.

Benjamin Squirrell, defending Hassan, suggested his client was not involved in any attack.

Prison officer Paul Langridge, who has worked in Belmarsh for almost 14 years, said he was first into the office after the defendants to see them “viciously attacking” his colleague.

“All three of them were crowding round Paul Edwards. They were throwing punches, throwing kicks,” he said.

“It was just a vicious, animalistic attack.”

From the dock, Abedi questioned Mr Langridge about a witness statement in which he said all three prisoners were attacking Mr Edwards with “punches, kicks and headbutts”.

“It sounds like a scene from a movie,” he said.

“You expect everyone in here is going to believe all that happened?”

“That’s up to the jury Mr Abedi,” Mr Langridge replied.

The trial continues.