A man who pulled a knife on a former schoolmate and told him “I’m going to stab you” has been jailed for 18 months.
Binghii Joseph, 24, brandished the blade at his girlfriend’s ex-partner during a “primitive” confrontation and then chased the terrified man through Aberdeen city centre.
Fiscal depute Ruaridh McAllister told Aberdeen Sheriff Court that Joseph’s victim had visited his Holland Street flat to collect clothes that his ex-girlfriend had left there.
“He arrived at the flat around 10.30pm and pressed the buzzer a few times,” the fiscal said.
“After a few moments, the accused appeared at the door, seized hold of the man and tried to pull him into the communal landing.
“The complainer had his phone in his hand as the accused pulled a knife from his jacket pocket and told him to give him the phone.
“The complainer couldn’t see the handle of the knife but described the blade as thin, curved and 2-3 inches long.
“Not knowing what may happen next he handed over his phone.
“The accused shouted ‘Come in here or I’m going to stab you’ as he grabbed the man’s t-shirt and tried to pull him into the landing.
“In doing this his t-shirt ripped at the neckline and this allowed him to remove himself from the shirt and get free.
Ran into police barefoot and topless
“He ran away from the accused through Holland Place car park and eventually made his way to Geroge Street.
“The accused chased him part of the way but eventually stopped running.
“In his panic to get away, the man lost his slider sandals. Whilst on George Street he flagged down passing police constables. They found him topless and without any footwear on.”
Joseph was later found in his flat. He told officers he hadn’t used a knife and didn’t take the man’s phone.
However, a knife matching his victim’s description was later found and the phone was discovered hidden in a cereal box.
Joseph pled guilty to a charge of assault and robbery.
‘Fairly primitive stuff’
Defence Graham Morrison said his client was full of “regret, remorse and shame” and that it the whole incident was about showing who was the “dominant male”.
“They knew each other very well and there was a female involved,” he said. “She was previously in a relationship with the complainer and at this time was in a relationship with Mr Joseph.”
The solicitor said the pair met by chance this evening but there had been a history of conflict between them.
“It’s fairly primitive stuff,” he added. “Sort out who was the dominant male…
“What Mr Joseph was trying to do, which he effectively did, was try to scare the complainer off.”
No option but to jail him
Mr Morrison added that Joseph “regrets what he did” and now hopes to move away from criminal behaviour and go to college.
That won’t be for a while, however, as Joseph, of Redwood Crescent, Cove, is now remanded for another matter and was ordered to serve 18 months for this terrifying attack.
Sheriff Andrew Miller told him: “I accept that you had some prior knowledge of the complainer, but the history of conflict between you that I have been given – I struggle to see how that lessens the seriousness of the offence.”
For all the latest court cases in Aberdeen as well as crime and breaking incidents, join our Facebook group.
