Daminda Heradh, 49, from Edinburgh Road, Nuneaton, was filmed wielding a gold-handled sword outside his supermarket on April 4. He admitted possession of a knife or sharp pointed article at Birmingham Magistrates' Court in April. On August 14, the court handed him an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months.
Incident details and court proceedings
Prosecutor Zuzanna Pogorzelska told the court: "Police were called to a supermarket due to reports by members of the public, one of the members of the public has shown police a video of a man chasing a youth with a sword."
The incident took place outside Heradh's supermarket, and the video evidence was provided by a member of the public. Heradh was subsequently charged and appeared before Birmingham Magistrates' Court, where he entered his guilty plea in April.
Defence claims harassment and business pressure
Defence solicitor Naseer Adalat said his client had been "constantly harassed by locals". He told the court: "Weeks and weeks of abuse by locals has been driving him crazy. He felt he had to do something to save his business."
The court heard that Heradh had no previous convictions and was of previous good character. The defence argued that the harassment had pushed him to act in a way that was out of character, driven by the need to protect his livelihood.
Sentence and conditions
Judge handed down an eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 12 months. If Heradh remains offence-free for a year, he will not have to serve the sentence. The suspended sentence means he must comply with court conditions during this period to avoid imprisonment.
The case highlights the pressures faced by small business owners, though the court's decision reflects the seriousness of carrying a weapon in a public place. Heradh's lack of prior convictions and his stated motivation of responding to harassment were factors in the sentencing outcome.
