Thug jailed for golf club attack

Amjad Mahmood ambushed Sikander Khan as he walked along Claremont Road, Smethwick, on his way back from the mosque, a court heard.

The 38-year-old had driven to the scene, despite being banned from driving, and was 'obviously drunk' when he got out of the car and confronted Mr Khan, shouting threats and abuse at him, said Mr Gerald Bermingham, prosecuting.

Mahmood was wielding a broken golf club, damaged in a vandalism attack at his brother-in-law's family home earlier, and thrust the jagged end towards his neck, Wolverhampton Crown Court heard.

Holding up his hand up to fend off a series of blows, Mr Khan suffered a serious injury to the palm of his hand which left him bleeding profusely. He pleaded with Mahmood, who had retreated to his car, to take him to hospital but the defendant drove off.

Mr Khan flagged down a passing motorist who drove him to his home. There his family took over, taking him to hospital where he received several stitches to the wound.

Two days later he went on a pilgrimage to Mecca but was in constant pain for the entire three-week break, said Mr Bermingham. On his return it was discovered that Mahmood had severed the median nerve in his brother-in-law's hand in the attack.

Mr Khan underwent two operations, which included removing 30cm of nerve from his left leg to repair the damage to his hand. However the court heard he was left permanently disabled by the injury.

In a statement, Mr Khan said he had lost the feeling in his thumb and two fingers and could not do simple tasks like hold his car keys. His doctor said it was unlikely his hand would ever fully recover.

Thirty minutes before the assault, Mahmood had gone to Mr Khan's house and smashed in all the windows and vandalised a car, breaking the golf club.

The court heard he suffered from depression and chronic alcoholism and had recently been diagnosed as bipolar.

Mahmood's life was 'in crisis' in August 2016, when the offences took place, said Mr Stephen Cadwaladr, defending. Soon afterwards he served a 20-month prison term on different matters and on his release had received psychiatric help, which was when the bipolar disorder was diagnosed.

"On that particular day there had been an ongoing family disagreement and he just couldn't take it anymore," said Mr Cadwaladr.

Mahmood, of Peckingham Street, Halesowen, who pleaded guilty to causing grievous bodily harm and possessing an offensive weapon, was jailed for two years.