Second prisoner sentenced over attack on murderer Jamie Mitchell

A second prisoner has been sentenced for attacking North Wales murderer Jamie Mitchell. Dayle Owens, 33, and co-defendant Oliver Wilkinson launched a revenge attack on Mitchell at HMP Berwyn in Wrexham.

Mitchell was later convicted of the murder of Oliver Wilkinson's cousin Steven Wilkinson in a fatal knife attack in Buckley. Last month, Oliver Wilkinson was given a suspended jail term for his role in attacking Mitchell in a prison workshop.

Today Owens, who had been in a relationship with a member of the Wilkinson family, was given a two-month jail term for assault occasioning actual bodily harm on Mitchell. A judge at Caernarfon Crown Court praised a female prison guard who "got stuck in" when a male colleague, who had not been trained to intervene but who thought Mitchell could die, was unable to step in.

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Prosecutor Karl Scholz told how Owens had been eight months into an eight-year jail term for other offences when the workshop incident happened in February last year. He said he and Wilkinson launched a "targeted and sustained" attack on Mitchell "motivated by revenge".

Mitchell was on remand awaiting trial for murdering Steven Wilkinson on October 4, 2022 and was later convicted and sentenced to a minimum of 22 years. Mr Scholz said the workshop assault happened in front of other inmates and staff.

One instructor, Huw Davies, saw the two men kicking, punching and stamping on Mitchell and recalled one of them shouting "murderer", the court heard. Staff member Simon Morris told how the two men were not holding back and kicked Mitchell with "full force" in a "quite horrendous" attack.

Mr Morris "feared that they would kill the man," but he was not trained to intervene so did not step in, said the prosecutor. But prison guard Nadia Parry did grab one man but was elbowed away. Other guards then arrived to break up the confrontation.

Mr Scholz said Owens said: "I've just given him a few f****** whacks. Just look at the cameras. I only gave it to him about ten times." He told police he had only punched Mitchell but this was a lie, said Mr Scholz.

Mitchell sustained a two centimetre cut on his forehead and other injuries. But he declined medical treatment and refused to help the prosecution, the court heard.

Elen Owen, defending Owens, said her client knows the whole Wilkinson family and had been in a relationship with one of the family. "There was clearly some sentiment and emotion" in his actions in the assault, she said.

But Ms Owen said Owens had been moved from HMP Berwyn to HMP Parc in Bridgend soon after the assault. This has effectively prevented him from having visits from his two young children. So he has been "punished twice", she said.

The judge Her Honour Judge Nicola Saffman told Owens, of Factory Road, Sandycroft, he had been Wilkinson's "wingman" in the workshop incident. She gave Owens a two-month jail term on top of his current jail term.

She also praised Ms Parry as male colleagues stood by. She said: "A male employee of the prison who is not trained in conflict but says 'I thought he was going to kill him' but does nothing and then this lady comes along and she just gets stuck in with no fear for her own safety."

She commended Ms Parry and wondered if earlier intervention by some staff would have reduced the injuries. "There are some questions to be asked here," she added.

• Oliver Wilkinson, 33, was last month given a 16-month jail term, suspended for two years, for assaulting Mitchell causing ABH. He was also told to do 150 hours of unpaid work and attend rehabilitation sessions.

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