Killer jailed for 11 years (From The Bolton News)

Killer jailed for 11 years

11:38am Monday 23rd July 2007 in

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A MAN who stabbed a former friend to death with a knife has been locked up for 11 years.

Jabar Ahmed, aged 20, killed Rabid Amin during a fight in Bradshawgate in Bolton town centre. The fight broke out following a row in a nightclub.

Ahmed was sentenced at Manchester Crown Court yesterday after being found guilty of manslaughter earlier this month.

Before the sentence was passed, Mr Amin's brother, Khalid, called for peace in the community and said the death should not be avenged. In a statement, he said: "The community as a whole, I think, are still in shock.

"There has been a lot of talk of revenge, but I am a great believer in letting justice takes its course."

He added: "I do not want my children or others in the community growing up thinking that the way to deal with things is to sort it out yourself."

The court had previously heard that Mr Amin and Ahmed were out with separate groups of friends on November 18 last year.

They clashed in the J2 nightclub in Castle Square, where an exchange of words ended with Mr Amin spitting in Ahmed's face.

The two groups of men argued later in the night - at around 4am - when they met up in Bradshawgate.

A resulting scuffle led to Mr Amin's death. He suffered horrific knife wounds at the hands of Ahmed and doctors were unable to save him.

A friend of Mr Amin, Sajid Ahmed, was also wounded by Jabar Ahmed.

Ahmed, of Campbell Street, Farnworth, was sentenced to nine years in a Young Offenders' Institution for the manslaughter of Mr Amin, after the jury cleared him of murder, but found him guilty by a majority 10-2 of manslaughter.

He was given a further two years to run consecutively for the wounding of Sajid Ahmed, aged 23, and two years for possession of an offensive weapon, to run concurrently.

His co-accused, Gulstan Azam, aged 26, of Rawson Street, Farnworth, pleased guilty to violent disorder and to kicking Rabid Amin.

He was given a jail sentence of four years and three months, but will serve two years and three months in custody, and the rest out on licence.

Passing sentence, Judge Anthony Gee, QC, said: "You were carrying and you used a knife which in your hands became a terrible weapon.

"This is not the case where you simply picked up a knife which happened to be at the scene. You deliberately armed yourself with it and used it."

Following the trial, Det Insp Sara Wallwork, of Bolton CID, said: "No sentence can compensate for the loss of a life, but we hope that the family will take some comfort from the judge's decision. We will not tolerate unlawful violence on the streets of Bolton."

Mr Amin, of Luton Street, Burnden, was married and lived with his wife. He was working towards establishing his own floor-fitting company.