Woman, 26 chased after victim with hair blade

A WOMAN armed with a blade caused her victim to barricade herself in a fish and chip shop to prevent herself from being harmed.

Sabina Khanom, 26, accused the victim of staring at her while she was out shopping in Newport but when the victim said: “Come and say that to my face” the defendant pulled out a pink hair tool and began chasing her with it. When the victim had barricaded herself inside the chip shop with the help of staff Khanom put her face up to the door and said: “You’re scared now.”

A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Thursday heard the incident took place at around 4.30pm on July 10 at Bettws shopping centre when the victim saw the defendant sitting with a man on a wall nearby.

Prosecutor Jenny Yeo said Khanom went right up to the victim’s face and said: “What are you looking at?”. After a brief exchange, Khanom brandished the blade from her coat and ran at the victim who made her way into the shop.

A staff member at the fish and chip shop said she saw the defendant making stabbing motions with a “pink scalpel blade” and used it to tap on the window.

The police were called and Khanom, of Darent Road, Bettws, was arrested. She later pleaded guilty to a public order offence and possession of a bladed article.

In a victim personal statement the victim said the incident had “affected her greatly”. She added: “I put on a brave face and didn’t want to appear intimidated but now I have to avoid the local shopping area through fear.”

The victim said she had bumped into the defendant when attending the stops which caused her to feel anxious and scared.

Defence barrister Josh Scouller said Khanom was remorseful and did not have a great recollection of the incident due to her intoxication. She pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity.

He added that his client had “an incredibly troubled” background which affected her ability to cope on her own.

Sentencing, Judge Catherine Richards said: “You caused significant fear and distress to an innocent woman doing her shopping and you chased her into the shop while brandishing a small hair removal tool with a blade in it. You took that with you for protection, intending to use it to cause fear in others if you were attacked but you were the aggressor.”

Khanom was sentenced to eight months’ imprisonment suspended for 12 months and made subject to a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement.