Ibrahim Meite, 26, a former Cardiff City FC player, approached Rio Amos, 24, down a residential street in Putney on September 12, 2019, and injured him. In the immediate aftermath, Amos pulled out a larger knife and stabbed Meite as he fled the scene. Both men were taken to St George’s Hospital and treated for their injuries before being arrested on suspicion of intentional wounding. Meite approached Amos while driving through South-West London in his white Mercedes, according to Kingston Crown Court. Leon Hughes, a third man, was also in the front passenger seat, and prosecutor Max Hardy stated that it was “unlikely this was a chance passing.” Meite was seen getting out of his car to engage Amos in conversation, while Hughes distracted him with a “pincer movement” before stabbing him in the back. Mr Hardy claimed that Meite stabbed him in the back while his attention was “split between the two men.” The incident occurred in broad daylight, the court heard, with members of the public visibly present and “clearly alarmed,” including a young schoolgirl and a baby. Amos immediately produced a larger knife, which one eyewitness described as “footlong,” and sprinted after his attacker. Meite suffered a 1.5cm injury to his chest, a wound to his loin, and a deep 7cm wound to the palm side of his left wrist after tripping over while fleeing the scene. After being injured, he and Hughes went to a nearby address, where it became clear that he required medical attention, and an ambulance was dispatched. He was taken to St George’s Hospital in Tooting while Amos presented himself with a back injury, and it was discovered that he was in possession of a second knife. During the trial, Meite claimed that he approached Amos by chance in an attempt to “clear the air” following a disagreement in a nightclub over a girl that resulted in them “pushing and shoving” each other. Judge Tregilgas-Davey chastised the men for providing only a “sanitised” version of events, but noted that this was clearly a “revenge attack.” The jury found Meite, of Roehampton, guilty of wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, and possession of a knife after several days of deliberation. The judge sentenced him to 15 months in prison, saying, “Mr Meite, this is so serious that only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified.” When large knives are carried and used in a confrontation, they can frequently result in death and life-changing injuries, and it is your good fortune that this was not the case.” The jury acquitted Amos, of Wandsworth, of wounding with intent, but no verdict was reached on unlawful wounding. He had, however, pleaded guilty at the start of the trial to two counts of possessing a bladed article and was sentenced to 16 months in prison suspended for two years yesterday (December 12). He must also complete 300 hours of unpaid work and participate in a 30-day rehabilitation activity for carrying the two “horrific knives.” Hughes, of Merton, was found guilty of unlawful wounding and will be sentenced at a later date.
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