A previously convicted drug dealer waited outside an amusement arcade before approaching a man as he walked out and stabbing him multiple times with a kitchen knife. The victim later walked to hospital and underwent two blood transfusions while receiving treatment for his stab wounds.
Ahmed Moshen, 25, stabbed his victim Jhaid Uddin outside the Starburst Amusement Arcade in Newport city centre on April 23 in a "revenge attack" after a feud between the pair. The shocking assault was captured on CCTV with Mr Uddin ambushed by the defendant who had arrived at the scene on his bike armed with a knife.
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Friday heard the victim received a total of four stab wounds as a result of the attack. Prosecutor Andrew Jones said Moshen arrived after he was made aware Mr Uddin would be at the arcade that night.
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He waited outside for a number of minutes, where he spoke to others and waited patiently for the victim to leave. Mr Jones said: "When (Mr Uddin) left the safety of the arcade, the defendant pounced and unleashed his attack."
Moshen attempted to stab Mr Uddin 11 times but successfully landed only four blows. The defendant then rode off as the victim walked to the Royal Gwent Hospital before being transferred by ambulance to the University Hospital of Wales.
Mr Uddin sustained two stab wounds to the left side of his chest, each 1cm in width, and the left lung was punctured. There was a wound to the upper left side of the abdomen and a wound to the pancreas which bled into the abdominal cavity.
The court heard the victim was in hospital for almost three weeks and was admitted to the critical care unit. He had to undergo surgery on April 26, and attended a number of appointments in the months that followed and had made a good recovery by August 10.
Moshen, of Alexandra Road, Newport, was arrested the following day after he was identified on the CCTV footage. He later pleaded guilty to possession of a bladed article and causing grievous bodily harm with intent.
The court heard the defendant had also originally been charged with attempted murder, but the prosecution offered no evidence for this and Moshen entered a not guilty plea for it.
Mr Jones said Mr Uddin had refused to cooperate with police and the prosecution, so no further medical evidence was available about his condition. The knife was never recovered.
The court heard the defendant has committed 17 previous offences including the supply of heroin and cocaine, for which he received two years and four months detention in a young offenders' institute. He was jailed for a further 32 months for further drug dealing offences and his sentence expired just three weeks before he stabbed Mr Uddin.
In mitigation, Harry Baker said his client was "still a young man" and had indicated he would plead guilty from an early stage. He said it appears Mr Uddin has made a "full recovery" as he has been seen walking around Newport.
Sentencing the defendant, Her Ladyship the Recorder of Cardiff HHJ Lloyd-Clarke said while Mr Uddin had not submitted a victim personal statement, "serious alarm or distress must have been caused to [him]". She noted that Moshen's offence had a "significant degree of premeditation" and described it as a "persistent assault". She also noted that Moshen was was under the influence of alcohol at the time and that this was a "revenge attack".
"I have to consider the issue of dangerousness. I am satisfied there is a significant risk you will commit further specified offences," she said, adding: "This incident arose because there seems to have been a feud between you and the victim about what you term 'trivial matters'...You believe using physical force is an acceptable means of resolving conflict...You are described in the pre-sentence report as someone who does not back down from conflict."
She sentenced Moshen to one year and eight months for possession of a bladed article. For causing grievous bodily harm with intent, she handed him an extended sentence of 11 years and six months, comprising eight years and six months in custody and three years on extended licence. The sentences will run concurrently.
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