A convicted prisoner has been found guilty of a savage attack that left a prison guard so badly injured he has been unable to return to work.
The ACT Supreme Court jury also found the 27-year-old guilty of threatening to kill his cell mate at Alexander Maconochie Centre prison and of an assault on another guard, although he was acquitted of trying to strangle a man sharing the cell.
Prosecutors told the court the incident began with threats to his cell mate, who called for help on the intercom.
The court heard that both men denied there was a problem to the prison officer who responded, until the cell mate whispered to her: "Miss, you gotta get me out of here".
She also told the court the offender appeared drug affected, pacing back and forth and speaking quickly, in ways which were out of character.
Several other prison officers arrived to help, asking the offender to put his hands through a hatch to be cuffed.
Only one hand was cuffed before he pulled the guard's hands inside the cell.
In the altercation which followed, as the guards tried to subdue the man, one of them was slammed into a bench, breaking several neck bones and smashing his nasal bone.
Cell mate refuses to give evidence
The man's cell mate refused to give evidence in the trial, saying he could not remember anything.
"I just don't remember that whole day," he said.
When asked about the prison officer being bashed, he said: "I don't know who you are talking about".
The man said his memory was poor because he had taken too many drugs.
The accused's lawyer argued his client had acted in self defence.
The man will be sentenced in October.
