A WARRINGTON man serving a jail sentence in Essex has been convicted of assisting a fellow prisoner in a knife attack on a third prisoner.

Ethan Black, 28, had pleaded not guilty to assisting Raja Mohammed, 24, in the attack which followed a row over what Mohammed claimed was a prayer mat that the victim had in his cell.

Sentencing was adjourned until next month after Black was convicted at Chelmsford Crown Court.

Mohammed accused the other prisoner, Colin Garrod, 51, who had told him it was not a prayer mat, of being disrespectful.

He armed himself with a razor blade melted into toothbrush handle and slashed Garrod’s throat causing a five inch gash.

The court was told that the wound was not considered life-threatening.

Black held back another prisoner who was a friend of Garrod’s and who had attempted to calm the confrontation.

He then delayed the friend getting to Garrod in time to prevent Mohammed slashing his throat.

David Wilson, prosecuting, told the court that Garrod’s friend on realising what was happening had said: “No need for that.”

Wilson said Black then told the friend not to get involved in what was to take place and held him back so Mohammed could slip past him and cross to Garrod's cell where he carried out the attack.

After the attack Black had taken the weapon from Mohammed and hid it under the bed in a nearby cell.

The jury was told that Mohammed had been heard to say “get rid of the knife.”

Mohammed was cleared of attempted murder but pleaded guilty to inflicting grievous bodily harm to Garrod.

Black pleaded not guilty to assisting Mohammed but was convicted.

Now the pair have been transferred to high security Belmarsh Prison in south London and are awaiting their sentences.

Black was first jailed as a 16-year-old in 2006 when he was found high on cocaine and alcohol and used a broken bottle to inflict a 10-inch wound on new year's reveller, almost severing his windpipe.