A Carlisle car wash customer who brandished a knife at a shocked employee as a distressed seven-year-old boy watched in horror nearby has been spared an immediate prison sentence.
As Cumbria police today launched their latest week-long knife crime crackdown, Abraar Darr, 42, was slammed by a judge at the city’s crown court for a shocking incident at the family-run business, off London Road, at around 1pm on May 7.
Darr had moved into the mechanical washer before being asked to reverse out so the electricity supply — which had cut itself off — could be reactivated.
Darr made an abusive comment to the employee, who remained calm, Carlisle Crown Court heard this morning. After the car was washed and Darr pulled away, he made an abusive gesture to the worker, who responded in kind.
Darr turned his vehicle around abruptly on London Road, almost crashing into other traffic, and returned to the forecourt before walking towards the man while holding a Stanley-type knife. As the worker filmed the incident on his mobile phone, Darr vowed: “I will cut you up.”
“He says that he thought he was going to be killed,” prosecutor Brendan Burke said of the victim. “He thought about the prospect of never seeing his wife or unborn child.”
The man’s uncle and two children — one a boy aged just seven — were also present as the incident unfolded and the youngster burst into tears.
Darr, of Orfeur Street, Carlisle, was stopped minutes later by police who found the knife inside his vehicle.
The court heard Darr realised he had made a “huge mistake” which was wholly out of character for a man deemed by others to ordinarily be calm, caring and responsible.
“He says that he is ashamed,” said his barrister Claire Larton. “He is somebody who can be rehabilitated.”
Recorder Tony Hawks, agreed, opting not to impose an immediate minimum mandatory prison sentence which could have been handed down. A nine-month jail term was suspended for 18 months. Darr must complete rehabilitation work.
Recorder Hawks said to Darr: “How such a mundane activity as having your car washed could escalate to the extent of you producing a knife and threatening people I have no idea.” He added: “People get killed with knives, seriously injured, lives are ruined. It seems to me this is a bad case of its sort.”
