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From the
https://www.kentonline.co.uk By Keith Hunt, 10 January 2019.
Mohammed Abdul sentenced to 28 years after driving into Blake's nightclub in Gravesend.
A drink and drug crazed clubber who ploughed his car into a packed
nightspot in revenge for being thrown out by bouncers has been jailed
for 28 years.
Mohammed Abdul, who had smoked five joints and had drunk 15 vodka and
cokes, plus Tequila shots, left eight people injured - two seriously -
after speeding onto the dance floor at Blake’s in Gravesend.
He has also been banned from driving for 16 years.
The judge, Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb, told Abdul he had been convicted
“on the clearest evidence” of attempting to kill “entirely innocent
people” at the nightclub.
“Your motive was selfish and pathetic,” she said. “It was revenge at
being thrown out for being drunk. You had preloaded yourself with
alcohol and drugs.”
The owner of the night spot had expected 600 people to see the
well-known rapper Giggs and hired a large number of extra staff to
provide security.
The judge said bouncers had properly directed Abdul out of the premises
after he was drunk on the dance floor.
Mohammed Abdul has been convicted. Picture: Kent Police.
“As you left, you threatened to return and close the club down,” she
said. “You told a man to watch what you would do. One man heard you
issue a threat to kill.
“By this time, 400 people had been admitted to Blake’s and you must have
known that the club was very busy.
“You boldly told the jury you intended to drive home, despite the amount
you had had to drink. You didn’t drive home though. You turned out of
the side street and drove towards the club.”
Abdul made several manoeuvres to get into the narrow alleyway that was
not much wider than the car. He then “ploughed forward” into the crowded
space.
“The CCTV from the alleyway shows how desperately your intended victims
fled from the oncoming vehicle,” the judge continued.
“It could have been a scene of carnage. Your inebriated state, together
with the bravery of door staff, who pushed and pulled people out of your
way, combined to avoid the multiple deaths which was your aim.
“You had been in that area earlier in the evening, so you knew it was
there and that there would be many people inside.
“You drove up the ramp to the entrance. You hesitated for nine seconds
before driving your car into the crowd. The footage of this part of the
offending is simply shocking.
CCTV shows Mohammed Abdul driving his Suzuki Vitara at Blake's nightclub
in Gravesend. Picture: Kent Police (6436934)
Unsuspecting young people were thrown aside or swept along by your
car.”
Katie Wells was dragged under the car and run over. “She could so easily
have been killed,” said the judge. “The serious injuries she suffered
included pelvic fractures which could have long-term consequences.”
Photographer Pierre Joseph suffered a broken knee and shin and others
were psychologically affected long after their less serious physical
injuries had healed.
“Your action had led to panic and distress among dozens of people,” said
Mrs Justice Cheema-Grubb. “At trial, you lied to the jury and pretended
you had only driven your car in the dangerous way shown by the evidence
because you had been fleeing an attack by door staff.
This was a shameful attempt to escape the consequences of your actions.
Your intention was to kill at least one person but many lives were
deliberately endangered because you targeted a crowded location.
“You caused some degree of injury to eight people and you plainly
intended more serious harm than actually resulted. Some of those you
targeted were working to keep people safe.
“You used a car as a weapon. You did not engage in a short period of
driving but a sustained period when you had many opportunities to stop.
You were drunk and under the influence of drugs.”
The judge said the “provisional” sentence she reached was 32 years but
took into account Abdul’s age and lack of maturity, which was apparent
when giving evidence.
Abdul will serve half the 28-year sentence before being released on
licence.
The judge commended door staff Peter Muro, Greg Perzanowski, Bharat Vara,
Liam Vine, Awais Farrukh, Christopher Wildish, Norbert Mizigar and
Janusz Fusniak.
“Some of these men suffered injuries themselves but acted selflessly in
trying to stop the defendant and to save lives,” she said.
“Some of them kept him safe from the frightened and angry crowd
afterwards. In an unexpected crisis, they kept their heads and did their
jobs with credit. The court commends them all.”
A retrial heard after being ejected from the Queen Street club on March
17 last year, Abdul told door staff: "I am going to shut you down
tonight".
Bouncer Peter Muro told police the 21-year-old threatened: “If I can’t
come in I’m going to come back and shut this place down and kill you
guys.”
Soon afterwards, he started to drive his 4x4 Suzuki Vitara down an
alleyway at the side of the club.
A bouncer tried to stop him, but he continued as staff and customers
jumped out of the way. He smashed through metal gates at the entrance.
As Abdul approached a marquee being used as part of the club with a
dance floor and DJ booth, he stopped for about nine seconds.
Prosecutor Simon Taylor said it was “no doubt to make a final decision
about what he was going to do”, before then hurtling onto the dance
floor and hitting customers.
Some were struck by the car and thrown onto the bonnet, and then onto
the floor. Others were injured in the resulting panic.
A witness described people going down “like dominoes”.
Abdul reversed several metres and was then overpowered by door staff and
customers, leaving him injured and unconscious.
Pierre Joseph, a cameraman who was at the club to film grime rapper
Giggs, 32, making a guest appearance, suffered a fractured left
shinbone.
Clubber Katie Wells, then 18, was left with a fractured pelvis and
continues to suffer. She told of hearing “a massive bang” and then being
hit by the car’s front passenger side. She was also bruised and had tyre
marks on her thighs.
Mr Taylor said the conduct involved Abdul using his car as a weapon by
deliberately driving at a large group of people who were trying to enjoy
a night out.
"The manner in which the defendant drove was not short in either
duration or distance,” he said. “It was a determined and indiscriminate
effort to cause death to those people present.
“Mercifully - and no thanks to the defendant - death was not caused, but
serious injury was.”
CCTV footage of the incident shown to the jury "spoke volumes that the
defendant intended to kill when he drove in the manner he did".
"The intent to kill here is obvious. Why else deliberately drive at
speed into a group of defenseless people offering no threat at all? In
reality, the defendant could have had no other intention whatsoever."
Abdul, of McMillan Street, Deptford, south east London, denied two
charges of attempting to murder people in the vicinity of the club, but
was convicted by a jury of 10 men and two women in less than 90 minutes.
He had also denied alternative charge of attempting to cause grievous
bodily harm with intent and two of causing grievous bodily harm with
intent to Mr Joseph and Miss Wells.
He admitted two offences of causing serious injury by dangerous driving.
A retrial was ordered in September after a jury failed to reach verdicts
after 13 hours and 25 minutes.
Mr Taylor stressed that the incident was not terror-related but
motivated by Abdul’s revenge and anger at being thrown out because of
his intoxication.
He claimed in evidence he had only planned to cause door staff “a bit of
grief” for being ejected without an explanation.
He maintained he was trying to get away from pursuing bouncers when he
sped onto the dance floor.
Abdul, who said it was his first time at the club, came to the UK from
Nairobi shortly before his first birthday.
He passed eight GCSEs and one A Level. He told the previous trial he
planned to go to university. He did office and warehouse work.
Abdul had no previous convictions, but was cautioned for criminal damage
and possessing cannabis. He admitted to being a regular user of the
drug.
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