Former professional boxer stabbed in Sheffield park

The 35-year-old firefighter told Sheffield Crown Court: “I can’t believe I was stabbed in my local park.”

Mr Khan, who was with his wife and children, had reprimanded a man riding a small motorcycle as he feared for the safety of youngsters playing in the Firth Park park.

He was later joined by a pal for fitness training and stayed into the evening when the pair were confronted by a 10-strong group of youths including the motorcyclist.

Mr Khan was attacked by the thugs who overpowered him and during the assault he was stabbed in his shoulder. He also suffered a fractured cheekbone.

One of the group accused Mr Khan of staring at them and Mr Khan’s friend again asked the motorcyclist to be careful where he rode the bike.

“This comment inflamed the group who came at the two men throwing punches,” said prosecutor Carl Fitch at Sheffield Crown Court.

Mr Khan tried to defend himself but was overpowered by a number of youths, taken to the ground and punched repeatedly.

“Whilst on the floor he felt a sharp pain in his left shoulder and realised he had been injured,” said Mr Fitch. “He put his hand there and felt blood.

“He had been stabbed and left with a one centimetre wound while his friend was also assaulted, kicked and punched and left with a fractured cheekbone.”

One of the group Ali Shah, 22, of West Quadrant, Firth Park, was identified and arrested by police nearly a month later.

He claimed to have been visiting a sick relative in Nottingham at the time but later accepted being in the park although he said he had acted as a peacemaker.

Mr Khan said in a victim impact statement read in court that the incident on July 9 last year had left him “very shaken”.

He said: “I can’t believe I was stabbed in my local park.

“I’m an ex-professional boxer but how do you defend yourself when you are attacked with a knife? I had to take time off work and my part-time job of driving ambulances.”

Shah, who has previous convictions for arson and theft when he was a juvenile, admitted affray.

His barrister Ian Goldsack said he had shown a lack of maturity and naivety. He did not use physical force or inflict the injuries and was unaware a knife had been used.

But he accepted being part of the group who reacted to the complainant’s approach.

Judge Peter Kelson said Shah was not the stabber and was unaware anybody in the group had a knife but he had encouraged what happened before running away.

“Mr Khan was about his own business with his family in a park on a summer’s day,” he said. “It is apparent that the entire group were intent on violence towards him and his friend.

“You were part of that group lending your encouragement by your presence to what went on.”

Judge Kelson jailed Shah for 16 months and made a restraining order barring him from contacting Mr Khan for the next ten years.