Leamington knife attacker escapes jail - The Leamington Observer

Leamington knife attacker escapes jail

Leamington Editorial 17th Jul, 2015 Updated: 28th Oct, 2016   0

FOLLOWING an altercation in a Leamington night club and a further confrontation in the street, a man returned to his home and armed himself with a knife.

And in the incident which followed the other man suffered a cut to his hand as he tried to defend himself.

But despite the potentially serious outcome, aggressor Harminder Bassi has escaped being jailed.

The 41 year-old, of Victoria Terrace, Leamington, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court to assaulting his victim Jevan Clarke and threatening him with a knife.




He was sentenced to nine months in prison suspended for two years, with supervision for the whole period, and was ordered to do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Prosecutor Ian Speed said that in December last year Bassi was in a night club where there was some concern he had attempted to steal a jacket.


“That was not his intention, but Jevan Clarke and his group took exception, and there was a verbal altercation.”

Bassi left the club, but later came across Mr Clarke in the street and there was a further argument, during which it was suggested there was some racial abuse.

Bassi, who was near his home, went back there and armed himself with a kitchen knife before returning to the street to attack Mr Clarke.

During that confrontation Mr Clarke suffered a cut to his hand as he raised it to defend himself.

But Mr Speed pointed out Mr Clarke had very fairly described the wound as superficial.

When Bassi, who had two previous convictions for possessing offensive weapons, was arrested he said he had been intoxicated and had little knowledge of what had gone on.

Recorder Adam Feest told Bassi: “Anybody who returns home and collects a knife to use in any way, either directly or to threaten someone with, deserves to go to prison.

“The use of knives needs to be stamped down on very quickly, because it doesn’t take much for the sort of injury you caused to become GBH or even worse.

“But because of your plea at an early stage and the gap in your offending of nearby 15 years, I’m going to suspend the sentence.”

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