Public take down man armed with huge knife
THIS is the moment brave members of the public tackled a man caught with a “dangerous” hunting knife as he fled from police in Cardiff city centre.
Muaz Tarafdar, 20, was caught on camera as he fled on a bike from officers in a busy Castle Street at lunchtime on Sunday.
After cycling through traffic lights near the Angel Hotel heading towards Cardiff Castle bystanders realise he is being chased by the police and attempt to stop him.
One man wearing a blue jacket races over to him and knocks him off his bike. Tarafdar then flies across the middle of the road, landing on his back, before scrambling up to his feet.
As people start chasing him, Tarafdar starts to head towards Westgate Street on foot.
But another man manages to take him out with his feet – with Tarafdar ending up on his back in the middle of the road again.
He is then seen being arrested by officers from South Wales Police.
At Cardiff Magistrates’ Court yesterday Tarafdar pleaded guilty to the possession of a knife blade or sharp article in a public place.
During sentencing the court heard a 999 call was initially made following an altercation outside the Mercure Hotel in Newport Road.
A man matching Tarafdar’s description was subsequently spotted on CCTV and he was pursued by police before finally being apprehended.
The knife was found in his backpack in its sheath.
Defence solicitor Nia James told the court Tarafdar had a “significant difficulty with cannabis” and uses “a joint a day”.
She added he also used crack cocaine, often spending £10 a day on the drug.
Unemployed Tarafdar’s most recent job saw him working in various roles in restaurants two months ago, the court heard.
He was said to have no fixed address, but regularly relied on friends to put him up.
Tarafdar, of no fixed abode, was sentenced to six months in prison and ordered to pay a £115 surcharge.
District Judge Bodfan Jenkins told him during sentencing that he had no choice but to impose the most severe sentence on him because of high rates of knife crime in the country.
He said: “You had in your possession a particularly, if not highly, dangerous weapon in very dangerous circumstances.
“In the circumstances of the case this clearly crosses the custody threshold. There can be no reason for suspending the sentence.”