Convicted burglar, 36, left wheelchair-bound and 'unable to work' after being ... trends now
A convicted burglar who was left wheelchair bound and 'unable to work' after being stabbed 16 times whilst working in a prison canteen is suing the Ministry of Justice for a massive £5million in compensation.
But government lawyers say that because burglar Steven Wilson, 36, had 'next to no history' of having earned an honest penny in his life, he should not get the millions he is claiming.
Wilson suffered injuries including a torn liver, fractured spine and lacerated spinal cord when convicted murderer Patrick Chandler attacked him 'out-of-the-blue' in July 2018 with a nine-inch knife whilst they both worked in the kitchen at HMP Chelmsford.
He later sued, claiming the MoJ failed to adequately assess whether violent lifer Chandler was safe for kitchen work, given the opportunity to access to knives and sharp items.
The Ministry of Justice admitted liability for the attack and agree that Wilson is due compensation.
But its lawyers say that, because he had a 20-year criminal record, with 'next to no history' of having earned an honest penny, a £5million payout would be 'out of accord with what society would perceive as being reasonable'.
Steven Wilson (pictured holding an umbrella) was left wheelchair bound and 'unable to work' after being stabbed 16 times whilst working in a prison canteen
Wilson suffered injuries including a torn liver, fractured spine and lacerated spinal cord when convicted murderer Patrick Chandler (above) attacked him 'out-of-the-blue'
Sitting at the High Court last week, Judge Melissa Clarke was told that Wilson, of Clacton-on -Sea, Essex, was on remand for an aggravated burglary - of which he was later convicted - when he was attacked by Chandler.
At the time, his attacker was only 24 days into a life sentence, imposed for the brutal knife murder of John Comer, 45, in Lawford, Essex, in December 2017.
The formerly 'fit and fearless' Wilson recalled Chandler 'looking at him strangely' before he lashed out, as if he was 'looking straight through him'.
He was stabbed to the stomach with such force that it lifted him off the ground, but survived with a range of severe injuries.
Chandler later admitted attempting to murder Wilson and received an additional life sentence and 10-year minimum term in November 2018.
Chandler's overall risk rating had been assessed by the MoJ as 'medium', court documents disclosed, despite two weeks before the attack him having allegedly told his supervisor that 'he had fantasised about violence and what he was going to do to people and about making weapons'.
Wilson was stabbed to the stomach with such force that it lifted him off the ground, but survived with a range of severe injuries
The MoJ has since admitted liability for
