White Rose: Man threatened to stab pregnant partner before attacking pub manager with 'machete-like' weapon

Sheffield Crown Court heard how in the days running up to the incident on January 1, 2023, defendant, Ibrahim Tariq, and his then-partner - the complainant - had been for an ultrasound scan to see their unborn baby.

Frances Pencheon, prosecuting, told a hearing held on July 4, 2023, that the couple's relationship, which began in March 2022, became fraught about three months in, at which point Tariq started being 'verbally abusive and aggressive' towards the complainant. The court heard how Tariq and the complainant were in a long-distance relationship, with him living in London, and her in Sheffield.

"He previously threatened to stab the complainant, and said he would get people to do stuff to her because he knew people in Sheffield," Ms Pencheon said.

Ms Pencheon said Tariq subsequently responded to the news the complainant was pregnant with 'shock' and 'anger' and 'accused her of sleeping around,' but later agreed to come up to Sheffield for the scan on December 29, 2022, by which point the complainant was around 13 weeks pregnant.

The pair went out to the White Rose pub on Handsworth Road, Darnall on New Year's Day 2023, and Ms Pencheon described how, shortly after arriving, Tariq told the complainant he believed punters at the pub were 'laughing' at him, before proceeding to drink nine double measures of Captain Morgan's rum with coke.

Tariq reacted 'angrily' when the complainant tried to reassure him that no-one was laughing at him, Ms Pencheon said.

She continued: "He threatened to stab the complainant, and the baby, saying he 'didn't care'. This made the complainant very upset and scared, especially the fact he said he didn't care about the baby. She didn't know if he would carry out the threats, or not. She noticed the defendant had his hands inside his jumper, and when he took them out she noticed he had a cut on his hand, and she realised he had a knife."

"She felt a sharp prod in her back and saw him put a knife away," Ms Pencheon told the court, adding that this course of conduct led the complainant to fear for her safety, and she left the pub and hid outside while she waited for Tariq to leave.

The manager of the White Rose came out to see if the complanant was alright, after staff at the pub observed Tariq's behaviour towards her, Ms Pencheon said, adding that Tariq returned a short time later, wearing a black balaclava and with the hood on his top up.

"[The manager] told him they don't allow people wearing balaclavas inside the pub...he barged past the manager, and grabbed him by the throat, and they began scuffling in the pub."

"[The manager] asked him to get out of the premises. The defendant began shouting that he had been stabbed, which in fact, he hadn't been...he then hit [the manager] with a machete," Ms Pencheon said.

The manager was left with two cuts - which were 4cm and 2cm in length - to his left elbow, which he had to have stitched up at hospital, the court heard.

Tariq was arrested on nearby Handsworth Crescent a short time after the incident, and when searched, he was found to have a knife in his hoodie. Ms Pencheon said a 'machete-like knife' was also found on Handsworth Crescent the following day.

The manager declined to provide a victim personal statement to the court.

In hers, the complainant said she felt 'relieved' because she 'had now been able to get away' from Tariq, adding that his offending behaviour made her feel 'scared and worried' because she did not know if he would carry out his threats. She continued by saying she now carries an alarm with her when she goes out, and is 'always looking over her shoulder'.

Tariq, aged 20, of London was charged with, and pleaded guilty to, offences of wounding with intent; making threats to kill and having an article with a blade or point.

Ms Pencheon told the court that Tariq has three other offences of engaging in controlling and coercive behaviour, battery and harassment on his criminal record, all of which were carried out against a former partner in circumstances that have 'similarities' to this case. Tariq received a sentence of 20 weeks custody, suspended for 12 months, for those offences, during a hearing held on October 14, 2022, and he was therefore in breach of that suspended sentence when he carried out these offences.

Defending, Rebecca Stevens, said Tariq had himself been the victim of a stabbing in September 2022, which, she suggested, is the reason he had armed himself with knives, and also claimed to have been stabbed during the scuffle with the manager.

"It does explain why this young man, 19-years-old [at the time], scared and in drink, decided to act in the way that he did, in the spur of the moment," Ms Stevens said, adding that Tariq has now left 'alcohol misuse' behind, 'despite his immaturity and age'.

She continued: "He is incredibly remorseful, Your Honour will have read the letter he has written to the court. He is keen to express how sorry he is to all of those involved."

The judge, Recorder Olivia Checa-Dover, jailed Tariq for 48 months, and granted a five-year restraining, preventing Tariq from contacting the complainant.