"he had been stabbed with the knife."
Tariq Zeb was jailed for five years and five months for stabbing a police officer in the face when they went to his home in Sparkhill, Birmingham, following a report of a domestic incident.
PC’s Tim Smithson and Kevin Wood were called to the property shortly before 4 pm on November 19, 2023.
Zeb spoke to PC Wood in the kitchen and complained his wife had been left alone with PC Smithson in the living room for “cultural reasons”, even though one of their adult daughters was with her.
The police officer reassured him that she would be treated with respect.
But when PC Wood left him to speak with his colleague, Zeb grabbed a knife and waved it at the police officers.
Prosecutor Tom Kenning said: “He was screaming: ‘Get out of my f***ing house’. He lunged at the officers with the knife, stabbing at them.
“PC Wood was knocked to the ground. The defendant punched him repeatedly to the face while trying to stab him with the knife.
“PC Smithson intervened and used Pava spray to no effect. PC Wood tried to use his Taser but was too close.
“The defendant was constantly shouting and screaming and struggling.
“PC Smithson pressed the emergency button while the defendant was trying to stab him.
“He ended up on the floor, on his back and felt pain and hot liquid all over his face then realised he had been stabbed with the knife.”
Zeb moved away but re-emerged through the door at the far end of the living room where he was Tasered after refusing the officers’ demands to get on the floor.
On the way to custody, Zeb said: “I’m not proud of this. I’m not that sort of person, I will say sorry to the officers.”
The former HMRC software engineer and father-of-six admitted wounding with intent and assault occasioning actual bodily harm.
John O’Higgins, defending, said Zeb’s actions were an “emotional outburst” due to frustrations in his marriage.
Birmingham Crown Court heard that Zeb and his wife were intending to divorce upon his release.
PC Smithson said:
“I really believed this man was going to kill me and Kevin.”
“I thought I was going to die when he came back in the room and thought to myself, ‘There is nothing I can do other than fight as hard as I can for mine and Kevin’s life’.”
PC Wood said the incident was the worst he had attended in 17 years on the job.
Judge Andrew Smith KC said it was a matter of luck that PC Smithson did not suffer a more serious outcome.
He said: “This was a ferocious and sustained attack without any justification.”
Zeb was jailed for five years and five months.
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