Crazed inmate attacks prison officer

According to reports, Anthony Jacobs, a prison officer, was walking through the prison yard at 11:30 am, last Friday when he was slashed across the face by a prisoner with a razor blade.

Inmates who saw the incident rushed to Jacob’s aid and rescued him from the crazed prisoner. He was rushed to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he was treated and discharged.

Jacobs received 35 stitches to his face and is now resting at his Tunapuna home. The prisoner is being kept in an isolated cellblock.

Senior officers from the Trinidad and Tobago Police Service told Newsday that charges will be laid against the inmate, and that investigations are continuing.

Acting president of the Prison Officers’ Association, Trevor Richards, told Newsday that the Government must seek the interest of the prison officers. "This is dangerous! It is time the authorities do something," he said. "We are told that the inmate is a mental patient. There is an institution for them!"

Richards added that prison officers are not trained to deal with mentally challenged individuals.

"We are asking that they remove these people from in the prisons," he said. He said the prisoners do not have respect for the prison officers.

Internal investigations are being conducted by the Prison Officers’ Association and Central Police Station.

In a similar incident September 14, Prison Officer Courtney Charles had been in charge of 80 prisoners at Section E, which is an isolated area, at the Maximum Security Prison at Golden Grove, when he was attacked by a prisoner with a baton.

The automatic door had been opened for recreational time when he was attacked by the prisoner.

Charles sustained a fractured ankle and injuries to his head. He was also rescued by other inmates and rushed to the Arima Hospital where he was treated and discharged. He was put on 14 days sick leave.

Disciplinary charges were laid against the prisoner by the Superintendent of Prisons, but no criminal charges have been laid by the police in that incident.

Commissioner of Prisons John Rougier was unavailable for comment.