Asylum seeker jailed (From The Northern Echo)

Asylum seeker jailed

2:45pm Tuesday 4th March 2008 in

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An asylum seeker who stabbed his neighbour during a row in the street has been jailed.

Ahmed Nouri knifed Lukasz Zalewski in the stomach after a drunken joke sparked a furious row.

Newcastle Crown Court heard how the men, who lived in adjoining bedsits at The Royalty in Sunderland, had been making their way to a nearby shop for more drink when trouble broke out.

Prosecutor Robert Adams told the court; "En route they were joking with each other, pushing and shoving each other.

"THen it appeared to get out of hand and the defendant appears to have lost his temper.

"Both were extremely drunk.

"THen, with a black handled kitchen knife, he stabbed Mr Zalewski in the stomach."

The court heard the blade left a small wound in Mr Zalewski's abdomen which was not life threatening.

Nouri, a failed Iranian asylum seeker who is due for deportation, admitted wounding Mr Zalewski, a Polish national.

He already has a previous conviction for carrying a knife in public.

Defence barrister Barry Robson said Nouri, who once served in the Iranian army, had been taking prescription drugs mixed with alcohol on the night of the attack and remembers little about it.

Mr Recorder Tim Hirst sentenced Nouri to two years imprisonment with an extended licence period of 18 months after his release.

The judge told him; "You are a person who would be in the habit of carrying a knife and you are of a passionate nature, you tend to lose control and you would tend to use that knife.

"Therefore you are a significant risk to members of the public of serious harm."