Infamous child killer Roy Whiting hid under prison bed to shield from stabbing attack in HMP Wakefield, court hears

Roy Whiting - who is serving a life sentence for the murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne - was set upon in his cell by convicted murderer Andrew Light.

Light, 45, was charged with attempted murder and unlawful wounding with intent over the incident, which happened in HMP Wakefield on February 11 last year.

He admitted assaulting Whiting and possessing an improvised weapon, but denies intending to kill or cause serious harm. This afternoon (June 23), a jury was sworn in at Leeds Crown Court.

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The court was told that Whiting, 66, was alone in his cell when Light walked in and launched an attack with a sharply pointed piece of wood.

Giving evidence, Whiting said: “I heard the door open in my cell and an inmate walked in. I didn’t know him, I had never met him, and never spoken to him.

“I’d seen him on the wing maybe once or twice. He asked me if I was Whiting, and I said yes. Then, he pulled out a homemade sort of shank and started trying to attack me with it.”

He continued: “He didn’t say anything, he just started to swing at me with the shank in his hand. He was aiming towards my head and face, first off. I tried blocking some of them with my arms but they were forceful sort of blows.

“He stabbed me in the back, sides, ribs, arms, and he cut me on the left ear. There was a lot of blood everywhere.”

Whiting told the court that he climbed under the bed in his cell to protect himself from the continued assault, adding: “It’s difficult for someone to stab you or get to you with the metal frames in the way.”

The prosecution told the jury that a prison officer responding to Whiting’s cries saw at least part of the attack, believing that the inmate's life was at risk. Bodycam footage played to the court showed Whiting hiding under the bed by the time the officer entered.

Prosecuting, Michael Smith said: “[The officer] saw Andrew Light furiously stabbing at Roy Whiting’s abdomen with some sort of improvised weapon.”

The court heard that officers mistakenly believed Light was alone in the cell and briefly shut the door again - locking him inside with Whiting still underneath the bed. Officers then went into the cell and Light dropped the shank, the jury was told.

The prosecution told the court that Light later asked officers: “Is he dead?” When told, “Let’s hope not,” he allegedly replied: “Let’s hope so.”

The court heard that the defence will likely argue that Light did not intend to kill or cause serious harm and that psychiatric conditions will be raised as part of his case.

Light is serving a life sentence for stabbing his partner to death at a flat they shared in the Midlands in 2002.

Meanwhile, Whiting, 66, is serving a life sentence for murdering eight year-old Sarah Payne. The youngster went missing in July 2000 while playing near her grandparents’ home near Worthing, West Sussex. Her body was found 17 days later.

Whiting was told he must serve at least 50 years in jail, later reduced to 40 years. The horrific abduction and murder made Whiting one of Britain’s most reviled criminals after attracting world-wide media attention.

It led to the implementation of Sarah’s Law - which allows information requests to the police about a person who may pose a risk to children.

The trial continues.