A former Cardiff City footballer has been jailed after stabbing a man in a "dispute" over a girl.
Ibrahim Meite, 26, who played for the Bluebirds between 2017 and 2019, attacked 24-year-old Rio Amos on a residential street in London in September 2019, knifing him in the back in front of terrified members of the public, report MyLondon.
The former striker was also injured in the broad daylight incident, with Amos producing a larger knife and stabbing him while he ran away from the scene. Both men were arrested for wounding with intent after being taken to hospital to receive treatment for their wounds.
Kingston Crown Court heard Meite, who also played for League Two side Crawley Town, Derry City and FC Pirin Blagoevgrad in Bulgaria, had approached Amos while driving his white Mercedes along a residential street in Putney on the morning of September 12, 2019. A third man, Leon Hughes, was in the front passenger seat.
Meite, of Roehampton, was caught on CCTV getting out of his car to engage his victim in conversation, while Hughes distracted him, performing a "pincer movement" to make Amos split his attention between the two men. The former footballer then stabbed him in the back in front of "clearly alarmed" members of the public, including a young schoolgirl and a baby.
As Meite fled the scene, Amos produced a larger knife, described by one eye-witness as a "footlong" and chased after him. The 26-year-old tripped while being chased and suffered a number of wounds to his chest, loin and wrist.
He and Hughes then travelled to a nearby address and an ambulance was called. The former Cardiff man was taken to St George's Hospital in Tooting while Amos self-presented there and was found to be in possession of a second knife.
During the trial, the court heard from Meite that he had approached Amos by chance to "clear the air" after the pair got into a dispute in a nightclub over a girl. That argument had led to them "pushing and shoving" each other, with the judge saying it was clear that the stabbing was partly a "revenge attack".
After several days of deliberations, the jury found Meite guilty of wounding with intent, unlawful wounding and possession of a knife, with the former footballer sentenced to 15 months in prison.
Sentencing him, Judge Tregilgas-Davey told him: “Mr Meite, this is so serious only an immediate custodial sentence can be justified. When large knives are carried and used in confrontation they can often cause death and life changing injuries and it is your sheer fortune that was not in this case.”
Amos, of Wandsworth, was acquitted by the jury of wounding with intent and a verdict was not reached on unlawful wounding. He had however pleaded guilty at the beginning of the trial to two counts of possession of a bladed article, and was handed a 16-month sentence suspended for two years.
He must also undertake 300 hours of unpaid work, and attend a 30-day rehabilitation activity requirement for carrying the two “horrific knives”. Hughes, of Merton, is due to be sentenced at a later date after being found guilty of unlawful wounding.
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