A Sudanese asylum seeker who threatened a Christian preacher with a knife in London has been spared jail. Ahmed Mohammed, 35, also dragged Daniel Ayettey off a ladder in the attack last May.
Mr Ayettey was addressing a crowd at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park on May 25. The Sudanese national, who arrived in the UK in 2012 and has 29 pevious convictions for 67 offences under his name, asked him: “What would you like to happen in my life?” Mr Ayettey replied: “I would like to have the Lord in your life.” Mr Mohammed then tried to drag the preacher down before running from the scene. He returned shortly after with a knife, telling Mr Ayettey: “I am going to stab you.”
As reported by GB News, Mr Mohammed was quickly arrested before being convicted of threatening a person with an offensive weapon in public. He was sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to 22 months imprisonment, suspended for two years.
Judge Martin Griffith told Mr Mohammed: “You’ve got a shocking record of convictions.” During sentencing, he accepted the 35-year-old had already spent eight months in custody and had agreed to undergo alcohol treatment.
Nicholas Mesure, prosecution, told the court: “That seemed to be the catalyst as it very quickly changed Mr Mohammed’s demeanour and he became very angry. There were a number of people, including Muslims, who were aware of Mr Mohammed and they tried to persuade Mr Ayettey not to call the police.”
The judge added: “I hope the suspended sentence could be a sign for you that you should not be back with your friends in Westminster doing nothing and drinking and stealing from shops.”
He also told Mr Mohammed, who confessed to three separate counts of theft from a Sainsbury’s store in London just weeks before the knife attack, that he would be sent “back to prison” if he reoffends. As part of the sentence, he must attend 30 days rehabilitation activities and six months of alcohol treatment in Brent.
Mr Mohammed has also been banned from Westminster and from consuming drugs and alcohol. The judge said he would not fine him as he had “no money”.
Mr Mohammed will return to court for a progress check in two months time. The judge continued: “When I see you in two months’ time, I expect probation to say how well you are doing. I will see you on April 10 with a glowing report.”