An extremist who shouted 'Allahu Akbar' as he tried to behead a fellow inmate in a Norfolk jail where he also attacked two prison officers has been jailed for life.

Eastern Daily Press: HMP Wayland Prison. Picture: Ian BurtHMP Wayland Prison. Picture: Ian Burt (Image: Archant)

Aklakur Rahman, 33, attacked fellow inmate David Sutton with an improvised bladed weapon at HMP Wayland near Thetford in Norfolk on July 21 2017.

His victim needed 28 stitches to the back of his neck — two of which were internal.

The two prison officers who intervened in the attack, Derek Walker and Ross Sanford, were presented with bravery awards in December last year.

Mr Walker had been the first prison guard on the scene.

Eastern Daily Press: Derek Walker and Ross Sanford, prison officers at Wayland prison in Norfolk, have been presented with bravery honours at a ceremony in London, following an incident last year when a prisoner shouting Islamic oaths attacked another prisoner with a knife,Derek Walker and Ross Sanford, prison officers at Wayland prison in Norfolk, have been presented with bravery honours at a ceremony in London, following an incident last year when a prisoner shouting Islamic oaths attacked another prisoner with a knife, (Image: Archant)

He had been showing a new warden his duties before rushing forward and ordering Rahman to drop the knife.

Mr Walker then punched Rahman in the face, forcing him to drop the knife, which another prisoner threw into another room but Rahman retrieved it while Mr Sutton was dragged to safety.

While other staff arrived on the scene Rahman re-appeared holding another knife.

Attempts were made to get this knife from him and subdue him but he struck out at Mr Walker who lost consciousness after receiving a knife slash to the back of the head. Mr Sanford then clubbed Rahman with a baton.

Rahman, previously of Ipswich, had said angels told him to do it, and he would be punished if he did not follow their instructions.

But he was sentenced to life imprisonment with a minimum of 13 years by The Honourable Mr Justice Pepperall at Birmingham Crown Court on Friday (November 15).

It came after Rahman was previously found guilty of two counts of attempted murder for the attacks at HMP Wayland, one count of attempted murder at HMP Lincoln, and grievous bodily harm with intent at HMP Wakefield, at Lincoln Crown Court in July.

The actions of Mr Walker and Mr Sanford were praised by the judge following the sentencing hearing.

Mr Walker has previously been presented with the Royal Humane Society's bronze medal while Mr Sanford has already received a Testimonial on Vellum.

Two days after the attacks at Wayland, while at HMP Lincoln, Rahman lunged at the neck of a prison officer with a sharpened piece of wall masonry resulting in the prison officer receiving a cut to his neck with a screw.

'He got me with three blades stuck together' - victim describes attack

A prisoner who fell prey to Aklakur Rahman at HMP Wayland described how he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Speaking to this newspaper last year, victim David Sutton said Rahman was supposed to be cutting his hair hours later, but he was attacked with razor blades stuck to a handle while waiting in the lunch queue.

At the time he said: "I'm on edge all the time now and I can't deal with it."

Sutton, from Canvey Island, said: "All of a sudden I felt a hot burn on the back of my neck.

"I put my hand on the back of my neck. The guy was screaming 'Allahu Akbar'.

"He got me with three blades stuck together.

"I dropped to the floor. Two people grabbed hold of him and it gave me time to get up.

"I was screaming for an officer and an officer came over to get me out, but then he pushed me back in there again. The guy then got me again on the left side of my face."