A male inmate is facing charges for a violent attack on a prison officer at Enner Mark Prison earlier this year. The incident took place in February 2023, when the 26-year-old man allegedly stabbed the prison officer several times in the neck with a sharpened toothbrush. The assault, which occurred in a common area of the prison, could have had fatal consequences, but the prison officer managed to deflect most of the stabs using his arm.

The case regarding the assault will be brought before the Horsens Court (Retten i Horsens) next week, and the prosecution has charged the inmate with attempted murder. The prosecutor assesses that the attack was carefully planned and executed under particularly aggravating circumstances. An important piece of evidence includes a pencil sharpener, which was reportedly used to sharpen the toothbrush. This pencil sharpener is also subject to the confiscation demand.

The accused is currently held at the Security Department (Sikringsafdelingen) in Slagelse, a high-security psychiatric unit for the most dangerous criminals in Denmark. The prosecution is seeking to impose an indefinite detention, which means that the inmate could be incarcerated for an unspecified period. Until a potential detention sentence can be enforced, the prosecution requests that he remain in the Security unit.

The attack on the prison officer occurred on February 18, 2023, around 3 PM, and later that same day, the inmate allegedly attempted to commit violence again. During a transfer procedure to a secure cell, he resisted staff and attempted to bite a prison officer on the hand.

The 26-year-old man pleads not guilty to the charge of attempted murder, a claim he maintained during the subsequent preliminary hearing. The case raises questions about the safety of prison staff and the special challenges associated with managing dangerous inmates.