Man who injured baby ‘may lose testicle’ after being beaten up in prison

A prisoner who was jailed for seriously injuring a baby may lose a testicle after being brutally attacked by four inmates.

Qasim Afzal was an inmate at HMP Berwyn near Wrexham when he was attacked by four of his fellow prisoners in February 2024.

Caernarfon Crown Court heard the attack was so severe one of the victim’s testicles had ‘died’ and may have to be surgically removed.

Afzal was in prison for attacking and injuring a four-month-old baby, Judge Timothy Petts said.

Four prisoners, Zayn Abu-Manahim, Zaheer Hussain, Farhar Khan, and Russell Lloyd admitted causing grievous bodily harm without intent.

Prosecutor Oliver King told the court the defendants entered the victim’s cell, before kicking and punching him.

‘He had no escape,’ said Mr King.

The attack was filmed on a mobile phone by Abu-Manahim.

The court heard Abu-Manahim had 53 convictions for 85 offences, including battery, ABH, attempted robbery and possession of a weapon, robbery, affray and assaulting an emergency worker.

Hussain had 16 convictions for 33 offences, including battery, assault, wounding with intent and possession of a blade.

Lloyd had 21 convictions for 39 offences, including robbery and attempted robbery, ABH, battery and making threats to kill. Khan had four convictions for 12 offences – they related to drugs offences.

Judge Petts said: ‘It is clear the four of you went into his cell, that this was planned and there was a plan to film it and share it on WhatsApp.

‘This was clearly planned as a punishment to him and serve as an example to others.’

Judge Petts said the victim had been made aware of the attack – ‘he didn’t know when, but somebody had given him an improvised weapon, to try and defend himself’.

However he was attacked with kicks, stamps and blows for just under a minute, with an improvised weapon involved. Judge Petts said he didn’t see the filming as any less culpable than the attacking.

The injuries were ‘severe’ said the judge. He said: ‘The most serious came from a stamp to his right testicle, which has effectively died and is likely to need surgical removal.’

He sentenced the four to a further two and a half years in prison, consecutive to their current sentences, which will result in delays to their earliest release dates and time on licence when released.

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