A CONVICTED criminal accused of making makeshift weapons has been found not guilty of attacking a Durham Prison officer during a meeting with staff.

Sherif Kalimba hid a four inch wood screw in his trouser waistband and lunged at the member of staff last June, Teesside Crown Court heard.

The commotion which was caught on camera was said to have left the prison officer with a bleeding puncture wound and requiring hospital treatment.

But jurors found the 23-year-old not guilty of inflicting grievous bodily harm with intent and possessing another makeshift weapon which was allegedly discovered hidden in the wall of his cell.

Kalimba, who was serving time in Durham Prison for a previous offence, was sentenced to a further four months after pleading guilty to making threats to kill.

The court previously heard Kalimba requested a meeting with staff members but after 10 minutes he became “frustrated and agitated”.

Vincent Ward, prosecuting, said he lunged at one of the prisoner officers whilst holding the homemade weapon – a four inch wood screw which was partly secured inside a plastic container.

He said: “The defendant must have planned to do it because he deliberately took it into the resumed review.

“He wanted to do serious harm because he aimed it at the officer's face. It could have caused more injury than it thankfully did. It was very close to the eye.”

Giving evidence, the prison officer said he saw Kalimba reach into his trousers to grab something before lunging towards him and the attack left him with a 2mm puncture wound under his eye.

But Fiona Lamb, defending, said the 23-year-old was not holding the weapon when he punched the prison officer and he only assumed the weapon was used because it was discovered later.

Kalimba was also accused of making a second makeshift weapon out of a food tray and hiding it in the wall of his cell – but he was also found not guilty of this charge.