Dangerous criminal jailed for life after chewing off inmate's ear at Featherstone prison
A dangerous prisoner who chewed off his cell-mate’s ear as he tried to choke him to death has been locked up for life.
Tammy Braham left fellow prisoner Nicholas Hill with just half of his ear after ‘spontaneously’ trying to kill him at HMP Oakwood.
The 32-year-old was handed a life sentence, with a minimum term of six years, after confessing he ‘snapped’ during the violent outbreak at the Featherstone jail.
Sentencing, Judge Michael Chambers QC said: “What is disturbing is the defendant had violent thoughts of committing violence and enjoying the experience. That is obviously very troubling.
“Clearly this was a traumatic incident for Mr Hill, which has left him at the very least with psychological harm and an disfigured ear. The seriousness of the offence justifies a sentence of imprisonment for life.”
Braham was offended by ‘derogatory remarks’ Hill allegedly made about inmates serving indeterminate sentences on January 26.
The defendant, who was serving an indeterminate sentence for public protection at the time and had previously offered support to Hill, then plotted to assault him.
He strolled into Hill’s cell, lunging at him before repeatedly punching him and causing the victim to plunge on to the floor, prosecutor Mr Paul Spratt said.
Braham, who admitted attempted murder, then forced Hill into a headlock and pinned his victim on to a bed face down while throttling him.
Hill, who bit Braham’s arm in an attempt to flee from his grip, said: “I was in shock. He was squeezing so tightly I thought I was going to be knocked out.”
The attacker then chewed Hill's left ear, pulling away with a chunk of it in his mouth as blood poured across the victim’s face and body.
As Hill stood ‘numb’, Braham spat out the ear and calmly said ‘here have it back’ before Hill raised the alarm, Birmingham Crown Court heard.
Wanting to ‘clear his conscience’ when quizzed by police, Braham said he only intended to kill his victim after the arm bite, adding: “I believe if he didn’t press the bell in his cell, I think I would have ended up killing him.
"I would have choked him out until he was dead.”
Defence barrister Ms Kay Driver said ‘remorseful’ Hill, who had eight convictions for 16 offences, was diagnosed with post traumatic stress disorder in 2004 and suffers from a borderline personality disorder.
The criminal had a ‘chaotic’ upbringing, witnessing domestic violence, being sexually abused and having 15 foster parents in the space of 10 years, she told the court on Friday.
Braham, now of HMP Birmingham, was handed an 28-month indeterminate sentence for a knife-wielding robbery in September 2006 but has since failed to convince the parole board he is safe to be released.
He was also jailed for 26 months for throwing a cup of coffee over a prison officer and biting the top of their head two years earlier.
