Feltham probe told of separate race attack

A prisoner who was badly beaten in a racist attack was left without medical care for 24 hours, an inquiry heard today.

The Asian victim suffered a broken jaw in the assault by two white inmates at Feltham Young Offender Institution - yet prison staff did not call a doctor.

When the victim finally received help, his injuries were so bad he was in hospital for 19 days.

The incident occurred a month before another Asian inmate at Feltham, 19- year- old Zahid Mubarek, was beaten to death by his white supremacist cellmate.

An account of the earlier assault emerged on the final day of hearings at the public inquiry into Mr Mubarek's murder.

The unnamed victim of the first assault was watching TV with his friend, also Asian, when two prisoners subjected the pair to racist insults, then attacked them.

After the January 2000 attack, the victims gave statements but police were informed only a full year later.

The two suspects were charged with causing actual bodily harm.

Muslim Prison Service adviser Maqsood Ahmed wrote in a letter to the jail: "I am deeply shocked to learn that staff at Feltham seem to be very casual about this racist incident. Muslim prisoners rightly feel discriminated against, unsafe and completely let down by HM Prison Service."

The Mubarek inquiry was staging its final evidence session after four months of hearings.