Knife attacker slashed victim
A DANGEROUS knifeman who launched a broad-daylight attack on his victim in a Halifax street has been jailed for more than eight years.
A judge 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.
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.
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 how Nawaz had previous convictions for offences of violence including a five-year prison sentence in 1995 for kidnap and assault.
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.
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