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AN Iraqi
Kurd given exceptional leave to stay in the UK to
escape the horrors of his home country has been
jailed for two knife attacks.
Osman Omar (22), who lived in Gladstone Street,
Peterborough city centre, around the time of the
stabbings was today starting a six-year term.
Peterborough Crown Court heard the unprovoked
attacks were carried out against a background of
racial tension between two ethnic groups in the
Gladstone Street area.
Omar's victims were both of Pakistani origin. One, a
middle-aged man called Mohammed Feghoul, has been
left afraid to leave his home.
The other, Nassair Yousaf, a student at De Montfort
University, in Leicester, was still undergoing
surgery to his right hand, which would be
permanently disfigured and would never regain full
movement, the court was told.
Judge Nicholas Coleman said: "What you did is a
manifestation of a violent disposition on your part.
"Using knives to resolve differences cannot be
tolerated.
"The background to these attacks is continued
violence in the Central ward of Peterborough, a
community which is proud of its history of
accommodating people from difference cultures."
Omar was with a group of Kurds in the Gladstone
Arms, in Gladstone Street, on Boxing Day last year,
one of whom confronted Pakistani man Mr Feghoul and
challenged him to step outside.
Edward Barr, prosecuting, said: "Outside, the
defendant grabbed hold of his collar. Mr Feghoul
tried to push him backwards.
"The defendant ran back towards him, Mr Feghoul
tried to kick out but slipped falling backwards.
"He was kicked in the head and became aware of a
sharp pain in his right leg. He looked and saw his
right trouser leg covered in blood."
He also suffered a 4-inch laceration on his right
face, which required six stitches inside and 14 to
the skin.
The second assault was on Mr Yousaf (21), in
Gladstone Street, on January 23
Mr Yousaf and two friends were heading home from
shopping in the city centre when confronted by a
group of Kurds.
Omar produced a butcher's knife with a nine-inch
blade. Mr Yousaf raised his hands in front of his
face to defend himself but the defendant stabbed
him, cutting his right hand.
He produced the knife again later that day in an
employment agency in Broadway, Peterborough city
centre, which a friend claimed owed him money.
Police were called and an officer later found the
weapon under a car in the street, still covered in
Mr Yousaf's blood.
Omar admitted wounding Mr Feghoul with intent and
was convicted of inflicting grievous bodily harm to
Mr Yousaf.
He was sentenced to five years in prison for the
attack on Mr Yousaf and 12 months for the attack on
Mr Feghoul, to run consecutively.
Stephen Spence, defending, said: "It would be wrong
to paint this man as someone with a dislike of
Pakistanis.
"There have been difficulties between the two
communities, it's not completely one sided.
"He came from a different culture where people react
differently to circumstances."
http://www.peterboroughtoday.co.uk/
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