Man jailed after taking knife from restaurant kitchen and killing teen in street fight

Peshawa Ghaffour was found guilty of manslaughter following a trial after using the knife to stab 17-year-old Mohammed Iqbal after he got into an argument with an ex-partner at an Indian restaurant on Crookes Road in Sheffield.

Following the argument, the 30-year-old’s ex-partner called her two sons to tell them what had happened. A short time later, one of her sons and his friend, Mohammed Iqbal, made their way towards the restaurant in a car. As they arrived, the pair spotted Ghaffour in the street and a fight broke out.

Witnesses reported seeing him with a large knife, and during the course of the fight Mohammed was stabbed, and died later at hospital. A post-mortem revealed he had died due to a single stab wound.

Officers from South Yorkshire Police went to him home, where they found a taser and a flick knife. During the course of the investigation, it was revealed Ghaffour had taken the knife from the kitchen of the Indian restaurant where he had been arguing with his ex-partner.

Following the trial, Ghaffour was found guilty of manslaughter but not guilty of murder and assault. He pleaded guilty to possession of a prohibited weapon (the taser) and possession of a bladed article in a private place (the flick knife). He was jailed for seven years.

Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Chief Inspector Joanne Kemp, said: “Throughout this investigation, we have been committed to finding justice for Mohammed and his family. Mohammed’s family have been present throughout the trial and have shown the utmost dignity as they listened to the tragic circumstances of how Mohammed lost his life played out in court.

“I also want to take this opportunity to recognise the witnesses in this case who have provided crucial evidence that has been fundamental in ensuring justice was served. Without people coming forward and sharing information with us, we would be unable bring the offenders involved in some of our most serious cases to justice. We know that giving evidence to police and standing up in court is not easy, and I am extremely grateful to all those who have supported our investigation.

“Sadly, knife crime continues to take lives both here in South Yorkshire and across the country. This must stop, and as a force, we are committed to doing all we can to bring those who carry and use knives to justice. Just last week we took part in a national policing operation called Operation Sceptre which aims to proactively tackle knife crime through a range of different proactive approaches. However, we cannot tackle the issue alone and therefore I want to take this opportunity to say to the community that if you know someone who carries a knife, please reach out to us and tell us. We will support you and together, we can help to ensure more young lives like Mohammed’s aren’t cut short.

“Today, our thoughts remain with Mohammed’s family.”

Jahmal Mendez, 18, of Myrtle Road, has been charged with affray in connection to the incident and is due to appear at Sheffield Crown Court on December 4. He is currently on bail.