AN axe-wielding intruder who carried out a terrifying late-night attack on a family’s terraced house has been jailed.
A judge locked up 33-year-old Zain Kayani after watching graphic CCTV footage of the shocking violence which took place at a property on Akeds Road, Halifax, in January this year.
What did the CCTV footage show?
The footage showed Kayani, of no fixed abode, and two accomplices arriving in a car shortly after midnight and captured the defendant repeatedly hitting at the front door with the small axe.
While Kayani tried to smash his way in 29-year-old Mohammed Mazhar used a crowbar to smash the front window of the house.
Prosecutor Paul Mitchell told Bradford Crown Court that the three men involved got into the property after the front door opened and they began abusing and shouting at the occupants.
He said the occupants did not know what had prompted the violence, but in his sentencing remarks Judge Tahir Khan KC said it was clearly “a revenge attack”.
The CCTV footage showed the three defendants get back into the car and leave the scene as other members of the public came onto the street.
Men admit to charges
Kayani, Mazhar and 22-year-old Mohamed Kayani were originally charged with aggravated burglary, but at a crown court hearing in March they all admitted charges of violent disorder and criminal damage.
Zain Kayani also admitted possessing the axe and Mazhar pleaded guilty to possession of the crowbar.
Two avoid jail time
Mazhar, who has been bailed to an address in Apwell Grove, Birmingham, was sentenced to 12 months in prison, suspend for a year, and ordered to comply with a 120-day trail monitoring requirement.
He must also attend 10 rehabilitation activity requirement days.
Mohamed Kayani, who has been bailed to an address in Abbey Drive, Luton, received the same suspended prison sentence as Mazhar, but he must comply with 40 rehabilitation activity requirement days and do 200 hours unpaid work for the community.
'Planned attack'
“It’s clear that this was a planned attack and that makes the offence so serious as to justify custody,” the judge told the trio.
“There is no dispute it seems to me that you Zain Kayani were the main offender.”
Zain Kayani’s lawyer John Bottomley conceded that he had committed serious offences and said his client put it down to poor decision making and his temper.
He said Kayani had spent six months remanded in custody since the offence and had expressed remorse.
Mr Bottomley said Kayani felt especially remorseful for involving his co-defendants and felt responsible for them before the court.
Judge Khan was told that Mazhar and Mohamed Kayani had acted out of character that night and had expressed their remorse.
Barrister Gerald Hendron, for Mazhar, said his client had crossed a very serious line for a few minutes that night.
He said fortunately nobody had been injured although it had been an extremely frightening event.
