Ex-Cardiff Player Jailed for Brutal Daylight Knife Attack in Putney
Ibrahim Meite, 26, a former Cardiff City footballer, launched a violent knife attack on Rio Amos, 24, in broad daylight on a Putney street. The chilling September 2019 incident ended with both men wounded and hospitalised, sparking a fierce court battle.
Violent Ambush in South-West London
On September 12, 2019, Meite, driving his white Mercedes through South-West London, spotted Amos. Joined by accomplice Leon Hughes, Meite pulled over and jumped out. According to prosecutor Max Hardy at Kingston Crown Court, it was no chance encounter.
“Meite got out of the car and confronted Amos while Hughes executed a ‘pincer movement’ to distract him,” Hardy explained. The attack happened in front of shocked passersby, including a schoolgirl and a baby.
Brawl Turns Bloody: Two Men Stabbed
- Meite stabbed Amos in the back while his focus was split between the two attackers.
- Amos pulled a “footlong” knife and chased after Meite, stabbing him multiple times.
- Meite sustained wounds to his chest, loin, and a deep 7cm cut on his wrist after tripping fleeing the scene.
Both men fled and were later treated at St George’s Hospital before being arrested for intentional wounding.
Trial Reveals “Revenge Attack” and Harsh Sentences
Meite claimed he bumped into Amos by chance to “clear the air” after a nightclub spat turned physical. But Judge Tregilgas-Davey dismissed their accounts as “sanitised,” branding the incident a clear revenge attack.
After days of jury deliberation:
- Meite was found guilty of wounding with intent, unlawful wounding, and possessing a knife. He was slapped with a 15-month prison sentence. The judge warned, “Only immediate custody can be justified. It’s your good fortune the injuries weren’t worse.”
- Amos was acquitted of wounding with intent but pleaded guilty to carrying two bladed weapons, receiving a 16-month suspended sentence, plus 300 hours unpaid work and 30 days rehabilitation.
- Hughes was convicted of unlawful wounding and awaits sentencing.
The violent day in Putney stands as a blunt reminder of the dangers of carrying knives—and the life-changing consequences when they’re drawn.
Originally published by UKNIP.
