Man jailed for holding knife to victim's throat (From The Oxford Times)
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Man jailed for holding knife to victim's throat
9:20am Tuesday 30th October 2012 in News
A 21-YEAR-OLD was jailed for nine months yesterday after he held a knife to another man’s throat.
Ali Sharifi, of Manzil Way, East Oxford, admitted attacking Raza Murtaza outside his home in Bevan Close, East Oxford, on June 25 this year.
Sharifi, who moved to the UK from Afghanistan when he was 14, claimed Mr Murtaza had been banging on his door.
David Rhodes, defending, said there had been concerns about Sharifi’s mental health but he was refusing to see a doctor.
Mr Rhodes said: “He tells me simply: ‘I am guilty, what the prosecution says is true. I am guilty, I was angry’.’”
Richard Moss, prosecuting, said: “He lifted a large kitchen knife to Mr Murtaza’s neck touching the skin, he understandably said he was scared.”
Sentencing, Judge Ian Pringle said: “You must understand that the use of the knife in this country is regarded as very serious indeed.”
Sharifi admitted one charge of assault, for which he was jailed for one month, possessing a knife in a public place, for which he was jailed for nine months and breach of bail on July 9, for which he was jailed for another month. Sentences will be served concurrently.
