Gang sentenced for frenzied stabbing outside betting shop
A gang of five who launched a targeted and frenzied attack outside a betting shop which led to the stabbing of a man have been sentenced.
A court heard a group had run from the Coral bookmakers in St Mary Street, Southampton, after spotting a car known to them out in the street, where they began a prolonged attempt to smash up the vehicle and get to the three people inside it.
During the attack, which happened around 8.40pm on Sunday 14 December, one of the group stabbed through one of the smashed windows and seriously injured a 45-year-old man from Southampton who was in the car.
Following an investigation, five people were charged for their involvement in the incident. Appearing at Southampton Crown Court on Friday (27 March), Sheraz Ahmadzai, 24, who at the time was living in Southampton but is now of Chadwick Road, Slough, was jailed for 30 months after pleading guilty to violent disorder.
Irfan Ahmadzai, 19, of Kent Street, Southampton, was jailed for 15 months after admitting violent disorder and criminal damage, and 16-year-old boy who lived in Southampton at the time but now resides in Bristol was handed a 15 month youth detention order after admitting causing grievous bodily harm with intent, criminal damage and possession of a knife or bladed article in a public place.
The judge also handed Mohamad Hussainzada, 18, of Mulgrave Road, Slough, a community order, which includes not being allowed to enter Southampton for 18 months and 150 hours of unpaid work, and a 16-year-old boy who now lives in Blackburn a youth rehabilitation order, which includes an exclusion from Southampton for three months and that he cannot have contact with the other defendants for two years.
The court heard the victim had suffered stab wounds to his leg during the incident after using it to block the attack, which had he not could have caused life-threatening injuries.
Speaking after the sentencing, Chief Inspector Chris Douglas, deputy district commander for Southampton, said: "These kinds of blatant displays of violent disorder will not be accepted on our city's streets.
"Violence creates real and genuine fear in our communities, it disrupts people's daily lives and we will not allow this behaviour to be normalised or leave local residents feeling they have to accept it through fear of repercussions.
"Our investigation team worked incredibly hard to piece together the movements of those involved and present a case file to the CPS, which has seen those involved pleading guilty.
"We have been working hard to tackle criminal activity in St Mary's, with our neighbourhood policing and enforcement teams and our violent crime taskforce all carrying out operations in the area, and we will continue to work closely with our partners to stamp out such behaviour."