Darlington burglary victim left covered in blood after knife attack

Mohammed Shajhan Islam targeted the man in the early hours of the morning as he made his way home from a party.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 44-year-old asked his victim for a cigarette before following him home and pulling a knife on the man as he approached his front door in Darlington.

Rachel Masters, prosecuting, said after the defendant forced his way into the victim's home a fight erupted leaving the man covered in cuts and bloodied.

She said: "He (the victim) described how the defendant spent an hour in his house before an altercation took place, the victim has very limited recall of what happened but didn't recall the defendant pulling a knife out when they were fighting.

"The next thing he remembers is waking up on the sofa, he was covered in blood, as was his flat, and had a cut to his hand."

Mohammed Shajhan Islam

Miss Masters said it was at this point he realised the defendant had left with his iPhone but had left behind his photograph ID and the victim recognised him as the man who had attacked him.

Islam was arrested hours later when he was spotted vandalising a Suzuki car in the Park Lane area of Darlington by the vehicle's owner and the police were called.

She added: "At that stage, he pulled out a black handled kitchen knife and he was also in possession of the rear wiper blade, he was threatened with a Taser and it was at this point that he put down the knife."

Officers recovered the burglary victim's mobile phone when he was arrested.

Islam, of Hartington Road, Stockton, pleaded guilty to aggravated burglary, possession of a blade and criminal damage.

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Michele Turner, in mitigation, said her client had struggled with mental health issues and drug problems throughout his adult life.

She added that Islam had been let down by 'the system' since he was child after suffering violent abuse at the hands of father and was currently on medication to help address his mental health issues.

Recorder Chris Smith sentenced Islam to six years in prison for the three offences.

"This was a serious case, the victim was returning home when you threatened him, forced your way in and he was injured in the subsequent time after – injured by a knife that you had on you," he said.

"There's more than a hit that you were exploiting his vulnerability caused by his intoxication."

He added: "This is more serious than normal because you have a dreadful record and that makes the position more serious when sentencing."

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