Butchery worker swung metal hook at man during street fight

A BUTCHER wielding a pole with a hook injured a man who was trying to attack him and his workmates.

The frightening incident happened in front of onlookers in Leicester’s busy Melton Road on a summer’s evening.

Judge Ebrahim Mooncey watched footage of the “disgraceful” incident but praised two women passers-by who tried to stop the fight on the pavement near Domino’s Pizza, just before 7pm on Monday, August 17, 2020.

At one stage, one woman pinned an offender against a parked car, while a second female held another in a bearhug from behind.

One of the brawlers, Mustafa Shirzad, 28, was convicted after a trial at Leicester Magistrates’ Court of causing actual bodily harm, possessing an offensive weapon (a pole) and threatening behaviour.

Shirzad, who had denied the offences, was committed to the city’s crown court for sentence.

At the sentencing hearing, prosecutor Ben Gow said that trouble flared shortly after a van arrived at the butcher’s shop where Shirzad worked - to collect meat waste that had been accidentally spilled on the roadside.

Shirzad and his co-workers were dealing with the spillage when two young men arrived in a white Audi and parked illegally on zig-zag lines, blocking an entrance.

The Audi driver and passenger, who are cousins, were collecting takeaway food.

As they did so, they made derogatory remarks about the smell of the spilled meat waste, the court was told.

When asked to move on, they became argumentative with the butcher shop staff, and it resulted in a fight on the pavement.

Mr Gow said: “Witnesses, including two women, actively and bravely tried to break it up and keep them apart.”

One of Shirzad’s colleagues then went into the shop and emerged with a hook on the end of a pole.

It was handed to the defendant who began swinging it around, striking the Audi driver, “embedding the hook into his forearm” and causing an injury, needing surgery.

The prosecutor said the victim, who was throwing boxing-style punches, had played such an “active part” that both he and his

cousin were also charged with public order offences, along with the shop workers.

All except Shirzad pleaded guilty and the men all received short suspended sentences at the magistrates’ court.

Anna Soubry, mitigating for Shirzad, said her client had no previous convictions and was provoked by insults, threats and abuse from the two cousins.

She said: “The defendant (Shirzad) asked them not to swear and to ‘move your car please’ because it was causing an obstruction, blocking an entrance. Instead of leaving, public disorder broke out. The defendant says he’s ashamed of what he’s done, because of the injury to the other man.”

Judge Mooncey told Miss Soubry: “I accept that while everything was going on this defendant was handed the pole and in the heat of the moment he used it - he didn’t go and fetch the weapon himself.”

The judge handed Shirzad a ninemonth jail sentence, suspended for 18 months. He was also ordered to do 130 hours of unpaid work and pay £500 court costs.

The court heard Shirzad, formerly of Melton Road, has since moved elsewhere to work in another part of the city.

The injured Audi driver was said to have been “profoundly affected”, suffered sleepless nights and was unable to continue regular gym sessions or play football, after undergoing surgery that left his forearm scarred.

The judge added: “The Audi was causing a blockage to the highway and inconvenience to other road users.”

The driver seemed “keen to fight,” displaying “boxing poses and punching out”.

Judge Mooncey told Shirzad: “You swung the pole with the hook a few times and it caught this man’s arm and he was injured, but it didn’t deter him from continuing his disgraceful behaviour.

“You were all arrested.

“I’ve seen CCTV footage and there’s no doubt in my mind the two ladies who intervened to stop this disgraceful conduct acted in the best public interest.

“The CPS should write to them to thank them.”