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| From left to right, Michael Adebolajo and Fusilier Lee Rigby |
Woolwich murder suspect Michael Adebolajo lost two teeth as he was restrained by officers at Belmarsh jail in south-east London.
It is understood several officers were called in to help after Adebolajo began acting violently on Wednesday, and he was injured during the subsequent melee in the prison’s high-security wing.
Last night the Metropolitan Police said it had started an investigation. No arrests have been made.
Adebolajo, from Romford, east London, is one of two men accused of murdering Fusilier Rigby outside Woolwich barracks on May 22.
When he appeared in court last month charged with the murder, he complained about his treatment at the hands of prison staff.
During the June 5 hearing via video-link from the prison, he was flanked by prison officers in full riot gear. Belmarsh staff asked for him to be handcuffed on the basis he was ‘unpredictable’ and had refused to comply with their orders.
The judge, Mr Justice Sweeney, terminated the video-link after Adebolajo launched into a series of rants against prison staff.
The unit in which he is being detained has the highest security classification in the country, and holds notorious terror suspects and dangerous felons.
Inmates have included Al Qaeda preacher Abu Qatada until his deportation earlier this month, and fanatic Abu Hamza, who was extradited to the US last year. The cost of keeping each inmate in the unit is estimated at £65,000 a year.
A November 2009 inspection report on Belmarsh criticised the ‘extremely high’ amount of force used to control inmates at the prison, and said large numbers of inmates claimed they had been intimidated by prison staff.
A Prison Service spokesman said: ‘The police are investing an incident which took place at HMP Belmarsh on July 17.
‘It would be inappropriate to comment while the investigation is ongoing.’
A Scotland Yard spokesman said: ‘We can confirm that an allegation of assault was passed to the Metropolitan Police on July 17 by Belmarsh Prison. An investigation has been started.’
Jail: It is understood several officers were called in to help after Adebolajo began acting violently on Wednesday, and he was injured during the subsequent melee in the prison's high-security wing
Crowds of wellwishers line the street as the funeral cortege of Fusilier Lee Rigby drives away from Bury Parish church on July 12 following a funeral service attended by 800
Rigby, 25, a father of one from Middleton, Rochdale, died from multiple wounds after he was attacked in the street.
The Prime Minister and thousands of mourners attended his military funeral last week, at which his two-year-old son Jack wore a T-shirt bearing the words ‘My Daddy My Hero’.
Adebolajo is charged with murder and possessing a revolver. He is also accused of the attempted murder of two police officers.
His alleged accomplice, Michael Adebowale, 22, is charged with murder and possession of a firearm.
Culled from DAILY MAIL
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