Meat cleaver yob threatened to ‘chop up’ couple
ATHUG holding a meat cleaver threatened to ‘chop’ up a couple after being refused permission to go on their family quad bike, a court heard.
Sohail Khan approached the family outside their home in Accrington while holding a bottle of vodka and a 30cm meat cleaver.
The ‘heavily intoxicated’ defendant was told that he couldn’t ‘have a go’ on the bike by the mother.
Khan swore at them and replied ‘I’ll smash her head in, I don’t care’ before leaving.
Prosecutor David Clarke told Burnley Crown Court how the father went round to a neighbour’s house a short time later and saw Khan in the property.
The defendant then followed him back up the street saying ‘I don’t care me, I’ll chop you up’.
The court heard how the 21-year-old carried on waving the meat cleaver outside the family home and shouting, ‘scaring’ the children. Mr Clarke said Khan walked off and around 15 minutes later returned with two other men and was heard to say ‘Come out here. I will stab you. If [he] doesn’t come out I’m going to chop you’.
Police were called to the scene at around 5.50pm on February 28 this year and Khan was arrested after being helped by witnesses. The court heard that officers described Khan as being ‘clearly under the influence of alcohol and perhaps another substance’. They said he was ‘swaying unsteadily’ and his ‘pupils were like pins’ and continued to be verbally abusive in the police van.
In a victim statement read out at court, the father said: “This incident has made me feel insecure in my own home.
“There are children that live in my house and I’m worried about the repercussions of this.”
Khan, of Clement Street, Accrington, pleaded guilty to affray, possessing an offensive weapon in a public place and common assault.
He was given a ninemonth jail sentence, suspended for two years with a 25-day rehabilitation activity requirement, 180 hours unpaid work and a three-month curfew order between 9pm and 6am.
‘This incident has made me feel insecure in my own home.’