A BARRY RESIDENT WITH a series of previous convictions for violent offences has been sentenced to 21 months in prison after he threw a pint glass at a man while under the influence of alcohol and cocaine.
Cardiff Crown Court heard how Mohammed Hafiz, 38, was walking his dog near his home on Barry Road after 12.30am on Saturday, 15 March, when he came across his former schoolmate Morgan Wiseman and a friend, who had just left a nearby pub.
Prosecutor Nuhu Gobir told the court Mr Wiseman handed him his glass of beer after Hafiz asked for a sip.
Hafiz then began shouting inappropriate names at a woman who was walking across the junction with Commercial Road. The woman told Hafiz to leave her alone, and Mr Wiseman took exception to his behaviour and asked him why he would make such remarks.
Hafiz was angered at being challenged, and squared up to Mr Wiseman, saying: “You want a go as well, do you?” before throwing the glass in his face at close range.
Mr Wiseman tried to turn away and put his arm up to shield his face, but the glass collided forcefully with his head and shattered. Shards of glass rained over the victim, he felt a stinging pain above his left eye, and sensed blood running down his cheeks and wrists.
The men managed to escape Hafiz after Mr Wiseman’s friend stepped in, and he attended the University Hospital of Wales in Cardiff, where he was treated for a 1.5cm laceration to his wrist and another of similar length above his left eye, which had been bleeding heavily.
The attack was reported to the police, who identified Hafiz from CCTV footage. After being arrested on 8 April, he claimed Mr Wiseman was threatening him and denied having the glass in his hand.
When the case came to court, Hafiz pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding. The court heard he has 60 previous convictions for offences including common assault, affray, possession of a bladed article, battery, driving without insurance, driving without a licence, driving while disqualified and possession of cannabis.
In a victim personal statement read to the court by Mr Gobir, Mr Wiseman said: “The way this individual suddenly turned on me left me with no opportunity to fully defend myself from this attack other than by raising my arm.
“He just flipped and intended to cause serious harm, using a glass as a weapon against me. The injury I sustained from this unprovoked attack could have been so much worse. I had a deep laceration less than a centimetre from my eyeball. I feel incredibly fortunate not to be blind.
“As a result of this incident, aside from the ongoing pain to my face and cheekbone, I have been left feeling anxious in public and walk around in fear of coming across the defendant and being subjected to violence.
“I initially avoided areas I thought he could be in and have not been to the pub since. I have made changes to my routine, ensuring I am not alone in public. It’s had an impact on my mental welfare and social life. This assault was so sudden and shocking, I feel like I am on high alert as a result.”
In mitigation, Ruth Smith said Hafiz had “genuine remorse” for his actions and referred to his mental health difficulties, the loss of his stable accommodation and that he had “limited skills having left school at 12”.
The court was also told the defendant was under the influence of alcohol, cocaine and pregabalin when the offence took place.
Judge Paul Hobson described Hafiz’s behaviour towards the woman as “sleazy” and said his attack on the victim was “thuggish”. He said: “The injuries could have been so much worse.”
The judge sentenced Hafiz to 21 months imprisonment and made him subject to a restraining order for five years.
In November 2020, Hafiz received a 14-month prison sentence for assault occasioning actual bodily harm after he was one of three people who attacked a woman in Main Street, Barry. At the same hearing, he received a one-month consecutive sentence for driving while disqualified.
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