Get all your news in one place.
100’s of premium titles.
One app.
Start reading
Manchester Evening News
Manchester Evening News
National
Matthew Cooper & Paul Britton

Convicted terrorist sentenced to five more months behind bars for punching prison officer

A convicted terrorist has been sentenced to five more months behind bars - for punching a prison officer.

The officer was left struggling to breathe following the attack by Abdullahi Ahmed Jama Farah, a court was told.

Jama Farah, 26, from Longsight, was jailed for seven years at the Old Bailey in 2016 after creating a communications hub to help extremists linked to the so-called Islamic State in Syria.

Jama Farah appeared at Worcester Crown Court on Thursday - his birthday - via a video-link to Long Lartin high security jail near Evesham.

The court heard Jama Farah - who was refused parole earlier this year over 'behavioural concerns - was being returned to his cell in a segregation unit when he assaulted a male prison officer shortly before noon on April 8 this year.

Prosecutor Alison Scott-Jones told the court: "Four officers surrounded him, forming a box.

"The defendant was described as not engaging and having a bit of an attitude."

Jama Farah pleaded guilty at a previous hearing to causing actual bodily harm to the warder, who was punched in the face and neck.

He was sentenced to five more months behind bars (Getty Images)

Ms Scott-Jones said: "The complainant says there was a second blow that hit him in the throat.

"The victim was dazed and hurt and describes himself as struggling to breathe."

The injured officer was forced to leave the scene of the attack crawling on his hands and knees, the court heard.

He suffered bruising and swelling to his throat, and could not work for two weeks.

He also suffered from daily headaches and had problems sleeping.

Offering mitigation, defence barrister Zayd Ahmed described Jama Farah as a 'model prisoner' who had recently been engaging with probation and was extremely remorseful about what had happened.

Jama Farah’s latest court appearance came four months after reports that he was refused parole following 'behavioural concerns'.

Jama Farah, who is Danish and of Somali origin, was convicted of preparing for terrorism acts between 2013 and 2014 when he assisted Nur Hassan, from Moss Side, Manchester, by facilitating his travel to Syria.

He was also in contact with several other men – one reportedly an associate of Manchester Arena suicide bomber Salman Abedi – who left north-west England for Syria in October 2013.

Sentencing Jama Farah for assault, Judge James Burbidge QC, the Recorder of Worcester, ruled that the blow to the throat was 'not a deliberate act of asphyxiation'.

The judge said Jama Farah would have received a longer sentence if he had not pleaded guilty to the assault.

Sign up to the MEN email newsletters to get the latest on sport, news, what's on and more by following this link

Sign up to read this article
Read news from 100’s of titles, curated specifically for you.
Already a member? Sign in here
Related Stories
Top stories on inkl right now
One subscription that gives you access to news from hundreds of sites
Already a member? Sign in here
Our Picks
Fourteen days free
Download the app
One app. One membership.
100+ trusted global sources.