Prisoner ‘Sliced Imam’s Skull Open’ Then S.t.a.b.b.e.d Him Five Times in Chilling Jail Ambush — Court Hears Shock Claim of ISIS-Linked Attack
A serving prisoner has denied attempting to murder a prison imam in a brutal attack inside one of Britain’s high-security jails, a court heard on Friday.
Ahmed Ali Alid, 47, a Moroccan national previously living in Hartlepool, appeared via video link from HMP Wakefield at the Old Bailey. He pleaded not guilty to attempted murder, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, and possession of an offensive weapon. He will stand trial at Newcastle Crown Court on 25 November and remains remanded in custody.
Prosecutors allege that on 8 August 2025, shortly after Friday prayers at HMP Full Sutton in East Yorkshire, Alid approached the prison’s imam, Roderic Vassie. Using a sharp metal object obtained inside the jail, he is accused of first slicing open the top of Vassie’s head before stabbing him five times in the head and neck area. The assault is described as a deliberate attempt to kill.
The case forms part of a Counter Terrorism Policing North East investigation. Court details indicate that during the incident Alid shouted words suggesting ideological alignment with ISIS. Full Sutton houses some of the country’s most dangerous offenders, making the ability of an inmate to arm himself with a bladed weapon particularly serious.
After the attack on the imam, Alid was moved to HMP Wakefield. On 21 October 2025 he is further accused of assaulting prison officer Sarah Mitchell when she opened his cell door. Prosecutors say he threw multiple items at her, causing a broken nose, bruising and other injuries. He faces a separate charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm in relation to that incident.
Alid was assisted in court by a Moroccan translator. He has not yet given any detailed account of the events. The prosecution maintains the attack on the imam was planned and driven by extremist ideology, while the defence will contest the charges at trial.
The case raises significant questions about security inside high-security prisons. Obtaining a makeshift weapon capable of causing life-threatening injuries highlights ongoing challenges in preventing the manufacture or concealment of blades. Attacks on chaplains and staff also underscore the risks faced by those working in environments where radicalisation and violence can intersect.
Roderic Vassie, as the prison imam, would have been a visible figure of religious authority within the Muslim inmate population. Targeting him after prayers suggests the alleged assault was not random but calculated. The subsequent attack on a female officer at Wakefield further indicates a pattern of violence directed at authority figures.
No further details of Vassie’s injuries or recovery have been made public at this stage. The focus remains on the forthcoming trial, where the full evidence, including any CCTV footage of the Full Sutton incident, is expected to be examined.
Alid continues to be held in custody. The November trial will determine whether the allegations of attempted murder and extremist-motivated violence inside a Category A prison are proven.
