Sarah Payne's killer in court after fellow prisoner 'tried to kill him'
Child killer Roy Whiting came face to face with the man accused of trying to murder him behind bars.
Child killer Roy Whiting left jail yesterday to give chilling evidence in court against a fellow inmate accused of trying to kill him in a vicious prison stabbing.
Whiting, 66, is serving a life sentence for the 2000 abduction and murder of eight-year-old Sarah Payne. He appeared at Leeds Crown Court to testify against Andrew Light, 45, who is accused of launching a brutal attack with a makeshift weapon inside HMP Wakefield in February last year.
The court heard how Light allegedly stabbed Whiting multiple times with a wooden shank. Light denies attempted murder, though he has already admitted to assault and possessing a weapon, reports the Mirror.
Prosecutor Michael Smith 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.
'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."
He added: 'What the prosecution say is that attack was with intent to kill Roy Whiting, or an attempt to cause him really serious harm.'
Jurors were told Whiting was left bleeding heavily after being struck behind the ears, forcing him to hide under his bed. 'The evidence of Whiting is that he was attacked with a wooden shank, an improvised weapon, in his cell... He was dragged back into cell, the attack continued and he was hit behind the ears, with heavy bleeding, so he hid behind the bed, and the attack came to an end when prison officers came to his aid," Mr Smith told the court.
Whiting had made a short journey from Wakefield prison to Leeds under tight security. It was his first appearance in public in 24 years.
The attack was captured on prison officer bodycam footage, with Light allegedly telling staff at the scene: "He is dead." Mr Smith said Light later told staff he "hoped" Whiting was dead.
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Wearing a grey sweatshirt and glasses, Whiting described how he was blindsided in his cell after returning from evening association. Taking the stand, he said: 'I heard the door open to the cell, I did not know him and had never spoken to him. He asked if I was Whiting and I said yes and he had a shank, a wooden shank in his hand.
'He did not say anything and he started swinging at me with the shank in his hands... He was aiming for my head and face first off. It was quite forceful blows… I blocked some with my arms.'
He went on: 'I fell backwards onto my bed against the wall… He was on top of me still trying to stab me… A couple of times I got hold of his hand and it eased up a bit.'
Whiting said he tried desperately to shield himself from the flurry of blows: 'At least a dozen blows connected with arms, side of my face, they were everywhere… I was able to get up off the bed… I made a lunge for the door.'
As he struggled to escape, Whiting said he was hit again: 'He hit me in the back, ribs, arms and he caught me on left ear and there was a lot of blood… I just dropped and rolled under bed quickly because I was exhausted.'
He recalled prison officers shouting at the attacker: 'There were four or five of them all shouting - they told him to drop the knife a couple of times. He still had the shank in his hand, that is why I went under the bed.'
Photos of Whiting's injuries were shown in court, including scratches to his face and stomach, and a significant injury to his ear. 'I knew I had been cut badly but didn't know exactly where,' he said.
Under cross-examination by defence KC John Elvidge, Whiting confirmed he didn't need hospital treatment or stitches—just medical glue from prison healthcare staff. He demonstrated how the weapon had been used in a downward stabbing motion.
Jurors were told there were no injuries sustained once Whiting was under the bed. He admitted having seen Light before, but said they had never spoken.
'I had a pen in my hand. It's possible I used it against him. I don't know if it was in my hand when the altercation started,' he added.
Mr Elvidge suggested Whiting might have stabbed Light with the pen during the struggle. Whiting insisted he didn't know.
The court heard the fight ended when officers intervened. Light was flanked by three prison guards in court, dressed in a blue tracksuit top. The judge reminded the jury not to discuss the case with anyone.
The trial continues.
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