Knife-wielding thug stabbed man at Meadowhall shoppin centre

Sheffield Crown Court heard on June 16 how Olaf Nazim, aged 45, of Harrowden Road, in Tinsley, Sheffield, jumped on his victim’s car before slashing him across his face with a knife and he later stabbed him in the leg at the Meadowhall food court on the same day.

Prosecuting barrister Andrew Stranex said the complainant was with another man when he first saw the defendant jumping on the bonnet of his car near his home and after he recognised him as a friend of his father’s he asked him to stop but the defendant - armed with a hammer and a knife – threatened to kill him.

Mr Stranex added: “The defendant swung the knife towards the complainant in an attempt to injure him and made contact with his face causing a cut along his jaw line.

"The complainant states that he thought the defendant was trying to kill him.”

Nazim fled from the scene, according to Mr Stranex, after the complainant went to his car to get a wrench to get the defendant away from his vehicle.

However, Mr Stranex said Nazim later confronted the complainant and his acquaintance at the Meadowhall food court during the same day and he stabbed the complainant in his right leg.

Mr Stranex said: “The defendant confronted them and jabbed towards the complainant’s right leg and stabbed him.”

The complainant fled into a Nando’s restaurant and grabbed a chair to protect himself as the defendant shouted he was going to kill him, according to Mr Stranex.

Mr Stranex said security staff saw Nazim discard items in a river and in a bush. A knife was recovered and when the defendant was searched he had a rucksack with a hammer and nunchucks.

Polish national Nazim claimed to police he had been brought to the UK by the complainant and his father on the promise of work but he had been placed in a Sheffield flat to water and feed cannabis plants. He also told officers he had confronted the complainant about money he was owed.

Nazim, who has no previous convictions in the UK, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause grievous bodily harm, causing wounding, causing damage, and to two counts of possessing an offensive weapon after the incident on September 24, 2021.

Richard Adams, defending, said: “This behaviour in September, last year, is wholly out of character. That irrational behavour, the defendant suggests, is from a feeling of injustice.”

Mr Adams added Nazim had come to the UK expecting to obtain legitimate work and accommodation.

The judge, Recorder Anthony Kelbrick, told Nazim: “After jumping on the victim’s car bonnet you produced a knife and slashed at his face. Later in the day you saw him again and you went up to him and stabbed his leg.”

Recorder Kelbrick added: “You do pose a significant risk of causing serious harm and therefore fall to be sentenced as a dangerous offender.”

He sentenced Nazim to an extended sentence of 10 years of custody, and the defendant must serve eight years in prison before he can be considered for release on licence for two years.