Man who killed as child sentenced for officer attack

A violent offender, who as a child battered a man to death and threw his body on a bonfire, has been sentenced after attacking prison officers during a hospital visit.

Nottinghamshire Police said Jamie Smith - a prisoner at HMP Lowdham Grange - attacked prison officers after he was escorted to Queen's Medical Centre (QMC) in Nottingham for treatment to a hand injury on 9 January 2025.

Smith, 31, murdered Stephen Croft in November 2007 when he was 13, in Birkenhead, Merseyside, after escaping from his Lancashire care home.

At Nottingham Crown Court on Tuesday, Smith was handed two life sentences over the prison officer attacks and must serve a minimum of 12 years.

Smith was sentenced in April 2008 to a minimum of 13 years in secure accommodation before he would be eligible for parole, for what Liverpool Crown Court heard was "a sustained attack on a helpless man".

The judge said at the sentencing hearing in 2008 he was "satisfied that the attack was motivated in part" by Smith's "desire to steal".

Nottinghamshire Police said Smith was taken to the QMC in January 2025. He had an X-ray on a hand injury and one of the prison officers attempted to put him back in handcuffs.

The 31-year-old, police said, became agitated and began threatening the officers and shouting at them to remove the cuffs - before lunging at one of the officers while holding a small bladed object.

The officer suffered a slash wound behind his ear.

When a second officer tried to restrain Smith, the prisoner headbutted and bit him, police said.

The force added Smith then used the improvised weapon, a toothbrush with a blade attached to the end, to slash the second officer to the back of his neck.

He was restrained a short time later with the assistance of hospital security teams, police said.

After an investigation by detectives, police said, Smith was charged and went on to plead guilty to wounding with intent, attempted wounding with intent, possession of an offensive weapon in a public place and attempting to escape custody.

Det Con Farhan Dewan-Williams said: "Smith is an extremely violent offender, and this attack on prison staff - who were simply doing their job - was totally unacceptable.

"We work alongside prison service teams to try to prevent attacks on officers and investigate thoroughly when they do take place.

"I'd like to commend the bravery and the professionalism of the prison officers during the incident and throughout the court process."

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