Tree surgeon’s hand chopped off by axe mob
ATEENAGE tree surgeon had his hand chopped off with an axe in an ‘appalling’ attack carried out by an armed mob sparked by a road rage row in Rochdale, a court heard.
The victim, then aged just 18, was one of four workmates set upon on Church Road, Newbold, on the afternoon of October 17, 2017 by a gang of up to 20 men.
They had been summoned by Habibur Rahman, 27, who called the victims ‘white b ****** s’ who were in his ‘country,’ Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
One of the mob, Mohammed
Awais Sajid, known as ‘Skinny,’ came armed with an axe.
Others were carrying knives, machetes, a clawhammer and a knuckleduster.
Sajid wielded the axe twice in quick succession, the court heard, first slashing the victim in the chest, shattering ribs and causing a collapsed lung.
Describing the second blow, Tim Storrie, prosecuting, said: “He followed up with a 360 degree spin of his arm, an act which was doubtless employed to enhance the speed and devastation of the attack.
“The blow itself was aimed at the victim’s head.
“He was dimly aware at this stage of the weeping of blood down into his waistband.
“He was turning his body, attempting to leave the scene.
“Through good fortune, he said he realised the axe was above him aiming for his head. He put his arm up to defend himself and the blade essentially severed his arm at the wrist.”
The victim, whom the Observer is choosing not to name, staggered away and was airlifted to hospital where he underwent lifesaving emergency surgery.
His hand was partially reattached, although the victim has required a further five surgeries in the two years since the attack.
He will only ever recover 60 per cent use of his arm and remains physically and mentally scarred by the events, the court heard.
Sajid, of Kings Road, Rochdale, was jailed for 18 years after being found guilty of section 18 wounding.
He was acquitted of attempted murder in an earlier trial.
There were shouts of ‘f***ing injustice! and ‘police set up’ from a man in the public gallery as he was led down to the cells, while a woman fled the court in sobs of tears.
Rahman, the instigator of the shocking street violence of Milnrow Road, Rochdale, was also found guilty of an assault charge after the court heard he used a knuckleduster to punch one of the other tree surgeons in the face, breaking his nose. He was jailed for four-and-a-half years.
His brother Zillur Rahman, 29, of Milnrow Road, Rochdale, was jailed for three years for conspiracy to commit violent disorder after he admitted making phone calls to summon the gang.
Arsan Ali, 23, was among those he called and who attended the scene.
He was jailed for four years after being found guilty of conspiracy to commit violent disorder.
Judge John Potter said the horrific events began at around 4pm when Habibur Rahman, manager of the Baytree restaurant in Blackley, ‘took offence’ at the driving of an elderly woman on Church Road.
“You shouted abuse at her and two tree surgeons passing by intervened.
“A scuffle took place between Habibur Rahman and one of the tree surgeons.”
Rahman, also of Milnrow Road, Rochdale, then made it clear that he had been ‘disrespected’ on his ‘territory’ and decided to enact ‘swift retribution,’ the judge said. The tree surgeons were tracked to the property they were working on nearby and were quickly confronted by Rahman and a mob that rapidly grew in number.
“Habibur Rahman’s first action was to prevent the men from leaving,” said prosecutor Mr Storrie.
“As the workforce attempted to pack up their tools to leave the scene, he drove his car, a Vauxhall Zafira across the entry.”
Speaking from his car, Rahman made chilling threats, saying: “I am not going to let them leave.
“They’re going to get what they deserve. They’re going to get stabbed.”
In interview, Rahman claimed he was subjected to racist threats from the four tree surgeons.
But sentencing, Judge Potter said this was a ‘pack of lies.’ He said: “The fact that a mob could be mobilised so quickly and so heavily-armed is clear evidence in my judgement that you are each associated with gang activity.”
Judge Potter described the violence as Rahman’s gang ‘asserting control’ over the neighbourhood of Newbold.
He told Sajid: “You committed an appalling act of violence and took concerted efforts to conceal what you had done.”
He said none of the group had showed ‘a shred of remorse’ throughout proceedings, refusing to give evidence during two trials.