Businessmen who attacked man with a hammer and wrench in parking row escape jail

Brothers Umar and Qamer Rashid flew into a rage when a worker from a neighbouring business blocked the way to their company as he unloaded goods

Qamer and Umer Rashid

Two businessmen attacked a wagon driver’s mate with a hammer and a wrench in a row over parking - and then lied that the victim had come at them with a knife.
Brothers Umar and Qamer Rashid flew into a violent rage when a worker from a neighbouring business blocked the way to their car-hire company as he unloaded goods from a truck.
But the men, of Barlow Road, Levenshulme, were spared jail by a court which heard the ‘hardworking’ pair would lose their business if they were jailed, and had come to court with glowing references, including one from the boss of the man they attacked.
The victim was unloading a delivery at Bridgewater Laminate Products at Barlow Street, Walkden, Salford.
Qamer Rashid, who was trying to drive down the street in a Ford Mondeo, began shouting ‘move the ****ing truck, get out of the way’.
The victim said that was not going to make them move any quicker.
Qamer Rashid managed to squeezed through the gap, but continued to shout abuse. He then got out of the car, went to the boot, approached the victim and said ‘come on hit me, hit me first’.
The victim told him to go away, turned his back on him and began to walk away. Qamer Rashid then rushed towards him carrying a hammer.

Manchester Crown Court

Lindsay Thomas, prosecuting at Manchester Crown Court, said. “The complainant put his hands up in shock, but the defendant swung at him with a hammer, hit him three times to his left elbow and upper arm area”,
Umar Rashid then came over and began hitting the victim in the back with a wrench.
The victim eventually managed to take the hammer off Qamer Rashid. Umar Rashid then ‘formed his hand in the shape of a gun and said ‘next time I will come after you with one of these’, said Mrs Thomas.
Qamer Rashid told police on his arrest: “I haven’t hit anybody, they assaulted us with knives, we were protecting ourselves.”
The victim was left cut and bruised and was ‘worried and concerned for his safety’ before returning to work.
The Rashid brothers later admitted assault causing actual bodily harm and possessing offensive weapons.
Defending Umar Rashid , 24, who has no previous convictions, and Qamer Rashid, 26, who has 16 convictions, Martin Callery said the violence was an ‘isolated incident ‘which ‘blew up in a moment’.
Sentencing them both to 12 months, suspended for two years, with 250 hours unpaid work, a £2,500 compensation order and £400 costs, Recorder Michael Murray said: “ I’m mindful of the fact that you have a business that is successful and that you are hardworking. It’s a very fine line, close-run thing - you have come within a whisker of going to prison.”
http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/greater-manchester-news/businessmen-who-attacked-man-hammer-9024027

NWN: Just what have these buggers to do before any of our stupid Judges will jail them ? One of them has 16 previous convictions !