Two men jailed over 'ferocious' punishment beating at Bradford takeaway

Kamran Ahmed, 30, was jailed for eight years and Mohammed Hamza was locked up for seven years after they ambushed their victim in the Madina Roti House and Pizza Bar in Toller Lane on March 9.

Ahmed, of Girlington Road, Bradford, stamped repeatedly on Khalid Khan’s head in the restaurant kitchen, Bradford Crown Court heard today.

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Hamza, of Fairbank Road, Girlington, struck Mr Khan twice on the head with a metal soup ladle and punched him.

Both men pleaded guilty to causing Mr Khan grievous bodily harm with intent.

Prosecutor David Gordon told the court that Mr Khan, a window fitter, had called at the restaurant for breakfast when he was set upon.

Hamza, known as Mitch, confronted him near the service counter, saying: “Come here.”

Mr Khan backed off and sought refuge in the kitchen. The defendants followed him, despite the efforts of the staff to keep them out.

Ahmed then punched Mr Khan and Hamza picked up the ladle and struck him twice on the head.

Mr Khan was bundled over to the cellar steps where Ahmed stamped on his head at least ten times, saying: “Don’t f*** with me.”

Mr Khan spent two days in hospital following the attack. He suffered a fractured eye socket, multiple jaw fractures and bruising to the back of his head. He had an operation to insert metal plates in his jaw and he needed four teeth removing.

Ahmed and Hamza were identified by the police on CCTV footage from the restaurant.

They made no comment in interview but were picked out by Mr Khan during an identification procedure.

Ahmed was wearing a distinctive ring during the assault that he was seen posing in on a social media site, Mr Gordon said.

In his victim personal statement, Mr Khan said he had lost all feeling in his chin. He couldn’t eat solid food and he was not sleeping. He was in constant pain and could not work or socialise.

Ahmed had previous convictions for assault, house burglary, criminal damage, robbery and possession with intent to supply heroin.

Hamza had just one conviction, for robbery of a pedal cycle when he was a juvenile.

Mr Gordon said it was a joint enterprise assault.

“The event does have the feel of an ambush,” he said.

“It seems to be some kind of punishment beating but what the background is, we will never know.”

Shufqat Khan, Ahmed’s barrister, said the violence lasted under 20 seconds.

“It was disagreements within the community,” he told the court.

Ahmed, a qualified chef, was employed by the takeaway at the time but lost his job after the incident.

He helped to care for his poorly parents and his two disabled younger brothers.

Ahmed was a married man who played an active role in bringing up his two young children.

Oliver Jarvis, for Hamza, said his client offered his sincere apologies for the attack.

Hamza was a well-respected and important member of his family who did a lot of community work, including helping people with learning difficulties and organising football tournaments.

This would be his first prison sentence.

Judge David Hatton QC said: “What this was all about, I do not know, and in many ways, it doesn’t matter because it is what happened in those premises that matters, rather than the reasons for it.”

Judge Hatton said it was a premeditated “ferocious and vicious attack.”

Mr Khan was struck with fists, hit on the head twice with a metal ladle, and kicked and stamped upon.

Ahmed perpetuated the greater violence, but Hamza’s role was also very significant.

Hamza had good aspects to his character but both men took part enthusiastically in the assault.