Three men have been jailed for violent disorder for their role in a brawl in Portslade involving two rival barber shops. Four others were acquitted by a jury.
One of the men, Sarbast Ibrahimi, 25, who instigated the “appalling” violence in a busy Station Road one lunchtime last year, was jailed for two years and nine months.
Ibrahimi also came off worse in the brawl and his life may well have been saved by, Emma Armstrong, a mother out shopping with her children.
He had a 2ft long cut down his left arm and other injuries that appeared to have been caused by a sharp blade although none was found.
Emma Armstrong was one of two people commended for a High Sheriff’s award of £500 by Judge Stephen Mooney when he passed sentence at Lewes Crown Court this afternoon (Tuesday 2 February).
The other was an unnamed witness who provided video footage seen before Christmas by the jury during the trial at Brighton Crown Court.
Two others were jailed. One of them, Sardam Qadir, 31, formerly of Lower Rock Gardens, Brighton, and Blacksail Walk, Oldham, was sentenced to two years.
Ayob Mohammed, 21, of The Maples, Ferring, Worthing, and formerly of Western Road, Brighton, was jailed for 18 months.
He had been running K Gentleman Barber, previously been known as M&K Barbers, in Boundary Road, Hove, diagonally opposite HB’s, on the corner of Franklin Road, Portslade.
All three men were jailed for six months for having weapons – planks of wood and a metal bar or torch. Those sentences are to be served concurrently to – or at the same time as – their main sentence.
Ryan Evans, prosecuting, said that Qadir and Ibrahimi travelled to Portslade on the day of the violence last April.
Mr Evans said: “Qadir gave evidence that he was on holiday at the time and planned to go fishing.
“The prosecution case was that these two were reinforcements who had been brought down especially and, consequently, there was some significant planning.”
The court was told that all three men were of previous good character and had difficult and troubled backgrounds, coming to Britain from Kurdish Iraq.
In mitigation, all three had a realistic prospect of rehabilitation and were not assessed as dangerous under strict legal criteria. The sentencing guidelines were cited, spelling out the likely limits to the options facing the court.
Judge Mooney said: “It was the early afternoon on (Tuesday) 2 April last year when the peace and quiet of those going about their lawful business in Portslade was completely shattered.
“It’s difficult to imagine worse street violence … a scene of street violence the like of which I’ve never seen before and hope never to see again.”
Shoppers, parents and their families, pensioners and people in wheelchairs “were met by a scene of carnage”.
The judge said: “Children were confronted with violence that they should never have to see … Anyone who watched this must have been terrified.
“There were people expressing disbelief at what they saw … You collectively bear responsibility what it was that you collectively did.
“You, Mr Ibrahimi, were the prime mover – the instigator. The hatred in your face and the level of violence you were prepared to use was difficult to observe.
“If you had exerted a degree of self-control and walked away then none of us would be here.”
HB’s owner Hogr Banaee, 24, of St Leonards Avenue, Hove, and formerly of Falmer Road, Brighton, and the Vega Building, Roman Road, Hove, and Gabriel’s Hill, Maidstone, was cleared of violent disorder and having a wheel brace as an offensive weapon.
His brother, Kosar Banaee, 19, of St Leonards Avenue, Hove, and formerly of the Vega Building, Roman Road, Hove, was cleared of violent disorder.
A friend, Ali Husseini, 19, of St Leonards Avenue, Hove, and formerly of Dyke Road, Brighton, was also acquitted of violent disorder.
The older brother, Kozheen Banaee, 25, of St Leonards Avenue, Hove, and formerly of Dyke Road, Brighton, and Kent House, Romney Place, Maidstone, was also acquitted of violent disorder and wounding Sarbast Ibrahimi with intent to do him grievous bodily harm (GBH).
Not bad considering the number of offences