An inmate who was allegedly beaten up and robbed in his cell believed he had been attacked by a prison guard, a jury has heard.

Ashley Pring was left with a broken jaw following the incident at HMP Swaleside on the Isle of Sheppey nearly two years ago.

The prosecution claimed the violence was carried out by two inmates, who were let into his cell by a guard, who then stole DVD and CD players, Maidstone Crown Court has heard.

Alexandru Dop, 37, has denied a charge of wilful misconduct in a public office while performing duties at the jail.

While inmates Danny Forbes and Rumia Delgado, both 35, have denied causing GBH and robbing the inmate of a black Panasonic player and a Pioneer sound system.

Pring told how he had returned to his single cell at 9am “feeling tired” and the door was locked.

Inside the cell, Pring had a TV, a DVD, CD players and a fan and he was facing the wall and fell asleep.

”I then heard a loud crack, a banging on the cell door,” he said.

“The door had been unlocked, I tried to get out of bed. I saw a flash of light and I was being pushed backwards.

“I must have been knocked out as when I came too. I was still dazed. I felt a sensation around my lips and I could taste blood.”

‘I then heard a loud crack, a banging on the cell door...’

Pring claims he saw an officer standing outside the door, the two made eye contact and he thought the officer had caused his injuries.

He added: “I was still dazed when I stood up. I didn’t know that anyone had entered my cell, all I saw was the officer. I believed it was the officer who had assaulted me.”

He said his room had been trashed and his TV was on the floor and his DVD and CD players were missing and he pressed an alarm button to summon a guard.

Pring added: “A member of staff then looked through my door flap and I expected him to return but he never did.”

He was eventually taken to hospital and treated for a fractured jaw.

Prosecutor Bridget Todd previously explained Delgado and Forbes were serving prisoners at the Eastchurch prison, where Dop was a prison officer.

Speaking about the incident, she claimed: “He was feeling a lot of pain and asked for someone to help but no-one came to assist him. The first person (to help) was the drug and welfare officer who was doing the rounds and he complained he had been jumped.”

The prosecutor added that PO Fowler later asked Dop what had happened but he stayed quiet and “looked pale.”

He escorted the officer to the landing and Dop is alleged to have replied “I think I have made a mistake” after Delgado and Forbes asked him to allow them onto another landing.

A senior officer said at the time there were restrictions in place preventing access to nearby landings and cells to prevent the spread of Covid.

The prosecutor said Delgado and Forbes were on a different landing to Pring and “should never have met”.

Dop is alleged to have later told a senior officer he didn’t report the incident because “he didn’t want to be seen as a grass,” the jury were told.

Prison CCTV footage was reviewed and the prosecution claim it showed Delgado, wearing a black hat and black jacket, and Forbes, wearing a track suit, talking to Dop.

“The two inmates are seen on screen carrying washbags and Dop unlocks the cell door of Cell 103 where Pring was,” Ms Todd said.

“The officer remains outside before pulling the door closed.”

Ms Todd claimed another image showed Dop listening at the door and the two men then leave the cell with extra things in their bags.

When Dop was interviewed by police he told them there were Covid restrictions but “all officers were bending the rules in allowing inmates into different areas”.

He is alleged to have told police he knew it was wrong but if he refused “he knew there would be riots”.

The trial continues.