Prisoner severs his penis with razor blade

 A prisoner with a history of self-harming cut off his penis with a razor issued to him by jail guards.

Suicidal Peter Smith, 55, was found in his cell covered in blood, with the organ hanging by a thread. Surgeons battled in vain for 26 hours to save it.



Now his family are demanding answers as to why a man with a past history of self-harm was given access to the blade.

Just a week earlier he had attempted to slash his left wrist with a piece of plastic while in police custody.
The family of Peter Smith, told the Mirror how he was being held as a remand prisoner when he cut off his penis.

It is understood he used a disposable Bic razor.He was found covered in blood with his organ hanging by a thread.

The father of five, an ex soldier, was rushed to hospital where he needed a total of 26 hours of surgery as medics tried in vain to save the severed member.He is now recovering on a prison hospital wing but his son William, 27, says he should be in a psychiatric unit.