Daminda Heradh, a 49-year-old shopkeeper from Solihull, has avoided an immediate prison sentence after he was filmed chasing a youth with a gold-handled sword outside his supermarket. He admitted possession of a knife or sharp pointed article, namely a sword, at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in April.
On August 14, the court handed him an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. If he commits no further offence within that year, he will not serve the time. Heradh, of Edinburgh Road, Nuneaton, had no previous convictions and was described as being of previous good character before the incident on Saturday, April 4.
Incident caught on video
Prosecutor Zuzanna Pogorzelska told the court that police were called to the supermarket after members of the public reported the incident. One witness showed officers a video of a man chasing a youth with a sword, and the man was subsequently identified as the shop owner. During a search, police recovered the golden-handled sword.
“The defendant is appearing for the first time in his life,” Ms Pogorzelska said. “He has no previous convictions. A guilty plea was entered at the first opportunity.”
Defence cites weeks of harassment
In mitigation, Naseer Adalat said his client had been “constantly harassed by locals” and that the incident was a one-off. “He wanted to scare them,” Mr Adalat said. “He has realised his mistake. Weeks and weeks of abuse by locals has been driving him crazy. He felt he had to do something to save his business.”
Mr Adalat added that Heradh had “years of previous good character, with no previous convictions at all.” The court accepted the guilty plea at the first opportunity and applied credit accordingly.
Impact of the sentence
The suspended sentence means Heradh will avoid prison provided he stays out of trouble for the next 12 months. The case highlights the pressures faced by small business owners dealing with persistent antisocial behaviour, though the court’s decision reflects the seriousness of wielding a weapon in a public place.
