A court has heard how the killer of schoolgirl Sarah Payne cowered under his bed as a fellow inmate tried to murder him. Roy Whiting was jailed for life for the murder of eight-year-old in December 2001 after he abducted her as she played near her grandparents’ home in West Sussex.
The notorious murderer told how he hid under his bed as fellow inmate Andrew Light, 45, attacked the paedophile in HMP Wakefield with a “wooden shank.” Speaking in Leeds Crown Court, Michael Smith, prosecuting, said: “We will not invite you to be sympathetic to any victim. There can be no doubt that Roy Whiting was a victim of an assault at the hands of Andrew Light who was also at the time in HMP Wakefield.
Smith continued: “Andrew Light has pleaded guilty to assaulting Roy Whiting and pleaded guilty to having a weapon in his possession when he did that.
“This case is about the intent with which he acted. In a brief summary it is accepted this defendant used an improvised wooden weapon to attack Roy Whiting in his cell and resulted in at least one wound to Roy Whiting’s body. What the prosecution say is that attack was with intent to kill Roy Whiting, or an attempt to cause him really serious harm. You will have to ask at the end of this trial whether he attacked with attempt to kill or do really serious harm.”
Whiting told the court: “I heard the door open on my cell and an inmate walked in. I didn’t know him, I have never met him, never spoken to him.
“I had seen him on the wing maybe once or twice. He asked me if I was Whiting and I said ‘yes’.
“And then he pulled a homemade shank and started to attack me with it. It was in his hand and I didn’t see it until he pulled his hand around in front of him.
“He didn’t say anything, rather than start swinging with me with the shank in his hand.”
Light was eventually restrained by prison officers where he is alleged to have asked if Whiting was dead before stating: “Let’s hope so”.
Whiting was jailed for life for her murder in December 2001 and sentenced to life in prison with a minimum of 50 years which was later reduced to 40 years by the High Court.
Jurors were shown photographs of the injuries to Whiting’s face ear, neck, and stomach.
Whiting said that he did not require surgery or stitching but “glue” to treat his injuries and did not require hospital treatment, with the care from prison medics sufficient for his injuries.
Light has admitted to possessing a bladed article in the prison and unlawfully wounding Whiting but he denies attempted murder.
The trial continues.