Guard says inmate warned him not to touch pepper spray during N.S. jail assault

A trial of inmates accused of viciously assaulting a prisoner in his Nova Scotia jail cell heard today from a guard who says he was warned against using pepper spray to intervene.

Officer Matthew Hicks testified that inmate Jacob Lilly allegedly swatted his hand off his pepper spray holster and told him not to use it as the alleged attack was taking place at the Central Nova Scotia Correctional Facility in Dartmouth, N.S.

Hicks told the Nova Scotia Supreme Court hearing he heard the haunting sound of kicking, hitting and "stomping" going on in the cell just metres away on Dec. 2, 2019.

Video evidence presented at trial showed a large group of inmates deliberately blocking guards from reaching the victim, Stephen Francis Anderson, who has since recovered from his injuries.

Hicks says he took about 10 weeks off work because of the trauma he suffered from hearing the violence that unfolded over a period of two minutes and 45 seconds.

The first six of 15 defendants facing trial are Lilly, Colin Ladelpha, Kirk Carridice, Wesley Hardiman, Omar McIntosh and Matthew Lambert. They face charges of conspiring to commit murder, attempted murder, unlawful confinement, aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and obstructing a peace officer.

Lilly also faces a charge of assaulting a guard.