Burnley knifeman's sentence cut 'because he's dying'

5:06pm Thursday 24th July 2008

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A BRAIN-tumour victim who stabbed a former friend in an alley-way after undergoing a personality change has won a cut in his jail term at the Court of Appeal.

Sajid Ali, 26, of Abel Street, Burnley, was jailed for five years in April 2008 after admitting wounding with intent and possession of an offensive weapon at Burnley Crown Court.

Yesterday top judges cut the sentence to four years after hearing of Ali's illness - and the fact he may only have between five and eight years to live.

Mr Justice Simon, sitting in London with Mr Justice Penry-Davey, said the exceptional facts of the case meritted such a cut, despite the serious nature of the attack on Basil Afzaal.

He was knifed in the stomach in Nelson on August 12, 2007, and had to undergo emergency surgery after his bowel was perforated.

Describing the injuries inflicted as "grave", Mr Justice Simon said the personality change undergone by Ali had some effect.

In May, three months before the attack, he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour that required surgery.

The court heard that Ali and Mr Afzaal had met up outside a takeaway and gone into an alleyway when the victim was punched to the ground.

After being pulled apart by mutual friends, Ali pulled out a hunting knife and stabbed Mr Afzaal once.

When his victim collapsed to the ground, he kicked him either once or twice to the head, leaving him with a suspected fractured nose.

Speaking after Ali was jailed Mr Afzaal, 22, said he had been suffering from severe panic attacks and flashbacks since the attack, which left him with three perforations of the small bowel.

The blade narrowly missed the aorta, which would have killed him almost instantly had it been hit and he was left with a 14-inch scar after surgery.

He said: “Since the attack, my life has stopped. I don’t like going out on my own, and when I do go out I keep thinking I see Ali.

“I get massive panic attacks if anyone comes too close.

"I can’t be in a crowd because I don’t trust anyone any more.

"I never used to be like that. I had a good life.

"I went out and enjoyed myself, and went to the gym a lot. Now I stay home most of the time.”