Murderer who slashed Shropshire inmate's face to remain in mental hospital that housed some of Britain's most infamous killers

Michael Grocott, aged 42, attacked fellow convict Keith Perkins at Stoke Heath Prison, Market Drayton, leaving him with wounds on his face and hands after "fighting for his life".

Grocott was in jail at the time serving a life sentence with a minimum term of 14 years for murdering 36-year-old Robert Freeman in Stoke-on-Trent.

After his latest brutal attack at the prison in Shropshire, Grocott was moved to the high security Ashworth Hospital in Merseyside, the same mental facility which housed Moors Murderer Ian Brady, Manchester killer Dale Cregan and Charles Salvador - considered one of the UK's most violent men.

At Shrewsbury Crown Court, Judge Laura Hobson ruled that he will remain at the North West facility, granting a hospital order after a psychiatrist said Grocott had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

Summarising the prison attack, prosecutor Suzanne Francis told the court that Grocott could be seen going in and out of his cell 33 times in ten minutes before launching his attack on Mr Perkins on December 2, 2021.

Grocott's weapon was a razor blade which had been inserted into a pencil.

"He repeatedly slashed at the left hand side of his face," Ms Francis said. Mr Perkins eventually managed to escape Grocott and was treated by prison nurses before being taken to hospital for stitches.