Police convict man who sprayed urine at a female prison officer inside HMP Belmarsh

Michael Raheem, of no address, has been sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment after he was convicted of administering poison with intent to injure, aggrieve or annoy.

The 22-year-old was on remand inside HMP Belmarsh for robbery when the incident took place, subsequently being sentenced to six years in jail for the robbery.

Police said the incident took place on October 6, 2018, when Raheem approached a female prison officer inside the prison with a shower gel bottle filled with yellow liquid.

The inmate sprayed the prison officer with the the liquid before staff managed to detain him, along with the remaining half-full bottle.

Officers from the South East Prison Investigation Team launched an investigation into the crime, but the only offence they were able to charge Raheem with was common assault, carrying just a six month sentence.

So an officer in the case, DC Natalie Ford, pushed instead for him to insteead face prosecution under an unusual law, Section 24 of the Offences Against the Person Act 1861; which calls for proof that a noxious substance has been used with intent to injure, aggrieve, or annoy.

A company also had to be contracted to forensically confirm that the liquid was urine, as in the Met, urine was only ever testing for the presence of other substances such as drugs or alcohol, not to confirm that urine was present.

On Friday 17 April, Raheem appeared via Skype before Woolwich Crown Court where he pleaded guilty to the offence.

In what is believed to be the first successful use of the law in London, Raheem was later sentenced to 20 months' imprisonment to run consecutively.

Detective Chief Inspector John Massey, from the South East Command Unit, said: “This conviction shows a real persistence and flair for innovation on the part of the officers involved; demonstrating the extra mile the Met will go to ensure the safety of, and justice for, front line staff.”