Man who punched courier had string of other offences
A BIKE courier was left with a split lip and smashed glasses after being attacked by men in Cardiff city centre on a Saturday night.
Basel Alkurd said he was scared to wear his Just Eat uniform for fear of being targeted again after being slapped, punched in the face and threatened with a knife.
Speaking at Cardiff Crown Court, Judge Neil Bidder QC described the attack as “totally unprovoked”.
Aydrian Lynch admitted the charges against him, while the prosecution offered no evidence against his codefendant.
The court heard the incident happened just before 10pm on February 16 near John Lewis on The Hayes.
Nigel Fryer, prosecuting, said the cycle courier saw two men pass the Duke of Wellington pub and approach him.
He said one of the men slapped the victim and then went off towards Caroline Street.
Mr Alkurd said he thought the man was “high” and saw the pair approach a homeless person and ask if he had any crack cocaine.
The court heard Mr Alkurd asked the man why he had slapped him, then Lynch got involved and said: “Fight me.”
Mr Fryer said: “He [Lynch] punched him in the mouth, causing his lip to split.”
The court heard his co-defendant indicated he had a knife and when he was subsequently searched, police found a chisel.
Prosecutors said Mr Alkurd was chased and tripped over, causing his glasses to smash as he fell.
The victim got his phone out to call the police, but Lynch ran over to him in a threatening way, trying to stop him from making the call.
Mr Alkurd was taken to hospital, where he had to have two stitches to a deep cut in his lip. He thought the incident lasted for three or four minutes.
In a victim personal statement read out in court, he said he now felt exposed working as a bike courier and was worried he would be recognised.
He said he was meant to wear a uniform, but stopped because he was worried about being targeted.
Mr Alkurd said he felt dizzy, sick and tired following the attack, but tried to keep working as he did not want to lose earnings.
He said he had to miss several days at work due to his injuries and was left £220 out of pocket.
The court heard police arrested Lynch and took him to Cardiff Bay police station where he was searched and found to have a bag of white powder.
When he was interviewed, he said he and his co-defendant decided to crush up paracetamol and try to sell it as cocaine in the city centre.
Prosecutors said he was given a conditional discharge in January for public disorder and assaulting an emergency worker.
In September he was sent to a young offender institution for 22 months for burglary and theft of a vehicle.
The court heard he, the same codefendant and another person broke into a home in the early hours of June 3 and stole items including car keys.
Mr Fryer said the householder was home and heard the front door, then went outside and found the defendants in her car. She fell as she tried to stop them driving off.
The prosecutor said: “They were essentially stealing the car from the driveway.”
Police found the white Suzuki Alto in Bridgend half an hour after it was stolen. All three defendants were inside, with Lynch driving.
Judge Bidder asked why Lynch was not sentenced for all of the offences at the same time.
Jeffrey Jones, defending, said his client was arrested on the day of the attack, interviewed the following day, then released under investigation.
He said Lynch did not hear any more about that until he received a letter on September 18 – two days before he was sentenced for the burglary.
Judge Bidder said the decision to release him under investigation was “absurd” and the matter should have stayed in the magistrates’ court, where it could have been dealt with more quickly.
The judge criticised the system of release under investigation, adding: “I have been repeating it. It is causing injustice. How many times will it need to wwbe repeated before the system is changed?”
Lynch, 18, who is now in HM Parc Prison, admitted assault occasioning actual bodily harm and being concerned in offering to supply cocaine.
Mr Jones suggested his client was not the “prime mover” as the co-defendant was responsible for the initial attack.
Judge Bidder said: “I have to sentence you for an unpleasant and totally unprovoked attack.”
He said the case should have been before the magistrates’ court within two months, but instead Lynch was released under investigation and it took more than six months to reach the crown court.
Lynch was sentenced to 10 weeks in custody, which he will serve on top of his current sentence.