A pervert attacked another prisoner after he became angry about his legs obscuring the television in their cell, a court heard.

Aaron Raji punched Leslie Bates twice, knocking him out of the top bunk and fracturing his spine at Elmley Prison in Sheppey.

Raji, of Primrose Drive, Ditton, Maidstone, was on remand at the time awaiting trial on rape charges. He was convicted a month later and jailed for seven years.

Now, the 23-year-old has had another eight months added to the sentence after admitting inflicting grievous bodily harm.

Maidstone Crown Court heard Raji was in a cell with Bates and another prisoner when the assault happened on January 19 this year.

Anthony Prosser, prosecuting, said Bates, 63, had his legs dangling over the side of his bunk and Raji complained he could not see the TV.

“The defendant stood up and started punching him,” he said.

“There was a suggestion of whether there were any racist comments. The defendant said: ‘Is it because I am black?’”

Bates tried to avoid the punches and fell onto the floor. He was taken to Medway Maritime Hospital where he was found to have a fracture of the vertebrae.

Raji was kept segregated from other inmates for two months. He was transferred to London’s high security Belmarsh Prison.

Rebecca Helliwell, defending, told the court: “He accepts the injury is horrific. He never meant to cause such an injury.”

Judge Philip Statman told Raji: “You lost your temper. This offence was against good prison order.

“You have since settled down, attending education and doing a job in prison. If you are to learn your lesson from prison, no doubt you will learn it during the sentence you are already serving.

“You lost your temper. This offence was against good prison order" - Judge Philip Statman to Raji

“To reflect the gravity of this offence it is right and proper that eight months be consecutive to the current sentence of seven years.”

Raji had denied two rape offences, claiming the 16-year-old victim was “up for it”, but was convicted.

A judge said he “behaved like an animal” when he attacked the drunk teenager as she was being sick in the bathroom of his home and then raped her again.

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