Manchester Arena terrorist Hashem Abedi has had full prison privileges restored for ‘good behaviour’ – despite an alleged brutal attack on guards in April.
That reportedly means that he will be able to use the gym again and spend more time outside of his cell, The Sun reported.
Other perks as a result of his regime being upgraded from ‘basic’ to ‘standard’ are believed to include additional canteen credit and more cash to spend on phone calls – and even a better TV package.
A source told the newspaper: ‘They do that when someone behaves and it makes a huge difference to how comfortable the inmate’s life is.
‘He’ll get Freeview TV with about 25 channels, can afford better food and won’t be in his cell as much.
‘Naturally he is cock-a-hoop about it but many of the officers who look after him are less than happy — especially considering what he did to their colleagues.’
Abedi was ordered to serve a record 55-year minimum term for helping his brother Salman Abedi carry out a bombing at the Manchester Arena in 2017.
The blast killed 22 people, many of them children, with more than 1,000 left injured.
The terrorist also reportedly attacked three warders with burning cooking oil and a makeshift blade at HMP Frankland, County Durham on April 12, leaving them with what were described as ‘life-threatening’ injuries.
Despite the severity of his original offence, Abedi was given privileges including being allowed to cook for himself in a prison kitchen.
He was reportedly able to fashion two 20cm blades from a baking tray.
Abedi is said to have dashed out of the kitchen just before lunchtime clutching the weapons and a pan of boiling oil which he flung at the nearest three prison officers he encountered on a landing.
One male officer was then stabbed in the neck, with the blade coming close to severing an artery, reportedly leaving the victim ‘just millimetres’ from death.
Another male officer was stabbed at least five times in the back, puncturing a lung.
One of their female colleagues was also injured. The boiling oil is said to have left victims with third-degree burns.
As a result of the alleged attack, Abedi was moved to HMP Belmarsh, where he has been barred from having any contact with lags under 18 due to fears he will attempt to radicalise them.
Prison authorities are concerned that could encourage other prisoners to carry out attacks of their own, a source told The Sun.
That raises the question of why Abedi’s regime has been relaxed if officials still believe he is an active threat.
Following the alleged attack, justice secretary Shabana Mahmood announced the use of tasers will be trialled by guards in UK prisons.
She also previously said the Prison Service will investigate whether front line staff should be given protective body armour.
It comes after union bosses called for officers to be given stab vests and protective equipment, arguing the incident shows ‘how dangerous our job is’.
The move is response to a dramatic rise in assaults on prison staff, which hit 10,605 in the year to December – a rise of 13 per cent.
The Ministry of Justice declined to comment. The prisons minister has been approached for comment.
