Dangerous drug user slashed victim with Stanley knife during Halifax attack in front of children

A judge today watched CCTV clips of the moment drug user Fiyaz Nawaz, 50, lashed out at Mohammed Rasul in front of an adult and two young children close to a shop in Hanson Lane last July.

Mr Rasul instinctively held up his left arm to defend himself from the Stanley knife and suffered a seven-centimetre slash wound to his forearm which required up to a dozen stitches.

Jailing Nawaz today Judge Jonathan Rose said if Mr Rasul had not raised his arm the blow would have struck his head and Nawaz might even have killed him.

“You had it (the knife) above your head and you brought it down at his head,” said the judge.

“It is quite clear not just that you intended to do him harm but that you intended to do him really serious harm.”

The judge described the tea-time attack as “appalling” and said Mr Rasul had been left feeling terrified of Nawaz.

In a victim impact statement Mr Rasul described suffering nightmares after the attack and being unable to move his arm because of the pain and swelling.

Prosecutor Sarah Griffin told Bradford Crown Court that Mr Rasul, who knew Nawaz, had been going to the shop when the defendant began shouting at him in the street.

She said Nawaz threatened “to do” the complainant and as he ran towards him in the street he said:”You’re a dead man.”

After the knife attack Nawaz left the scene, but he was arrested about a week later.

Nawaz, of Batley Field Hill, Upper Batley, pleaded guilty on the day of his trial last month to wounding with intent to do grievous bodily harm and possessing the Stanley knife in a public place.

Judge Rose heard today how Nawaz had previous convictions for offences of violence including a five-year prison sentence in 1995 for kidnap and assault.

After reading reports on Nawaz the judge concluded that he was a dangerous offender who posed a significant of serious harm to members of the public.

In addition to a prison sentence of eight years and one month the judge also imposed an extended licence period of three years.

He also made Nawaz the subject of an indefinite restraining order aimed at protecting Mr Rasul.

The judge highlighted the fact that Nawaz continued to blame his victim even though the CCTV showed Mr Rasul standing in the street unarmed and defenceless.

“You stand by your claim that you were under threat. You were not,” said the judge.