A JURY has been dismissed in a trial where a former prisoner was accused of fracturing a prison guard’s cheekbone and eye socket.

Lewis Whitmee-Craig, who was serving a custodial sentence at HMP Bullingdon near Bicester, was on trial at Oxford Crown Court charged with one count of grievous bodily harm.

He was accused of punching prison officer Matthew Burrows to the side of his face on February 3, 2021, over a disagreement over a lunchbox.

READ MORE: Young man, 22, denies affray as trial date is set

Whitmee-Craig, 33, formerly of Milton Keynes, denied the offence and argued the incident was one of self-defence.

On Friday (March 15), the jury were dismissed after failing to reach a decision.

The Crown Prosecution Service have seven days to decide whether to re-try Whitmee-Craig.