By David Young-
An intoxicated 25-year-old robber, Mohammed Rahman,(pictured) has been sentenced to life in prison with a minimum term of 20 years for stabbing two police officers.
Rahman, intoxicated during the early hours of September 16, 2022, led police on a terrifying pursuit that ended in the double stabbing.
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Rahman, knifed police constable Joseph Gerrard in the neck and chest – “targeting where the Met (stab) vest did not provide protection” – before stabbing Pc Alannah Mulhall in the arm early on September 16 last year while intoxicated.
The dramatic events unfolded when a member of the public, Mark Graven, alerted police after Rahman brandished a knife and stole his portable charger on Shaftesbury Avenue.
Rahman, armed with a kitchen knife, attacked the officers despite the use of Pava spray and Tasers.
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During Rahman’s trial at Kingston Crown Court in October, he was found guilty of attempted murder against PC Gerrard, grievous bodily harm with intent against PC Mulhall, and assault causing actual bodily harm against PC Richard Ulla.
Rahman was also convicted of two counts of threatening officers with a bladed article, possession of a bladed article, and the robbery of Mr. Graven.
In a shocking revelation during the trial, it emerged that Rahman had previously come into contact with police just three days before the incident when he was reported as feeling suicidal. Living on the streets in the days that followed, Rahman’s actions would escalate to a violent confrontation with law enforcement.
Judge Rajeev Shetty, delivering the life sentence with a minimum term of 20 years, minus time spent on remand, emphasized Rahman’s capacity for “the most violent kind of behavior” with the potential to cause fatal harm. The judge stated, “Anyone who is unhinged enough to attack a group of police officers… poses an even greater risk to the public.”
PC Mulhall, who bravely intervened during the attack, described the harrowing moment, expressing her fear that PC Gerrard would not survive the assault. Rahman’s actions, targeting areas where the officers’ protective gear did not cover, underscored the calculated nature of the attack.
In a letter of apology read out in court, Rahman claimed his actions were “out of character” and expressed extreme guilt for the harm caused. PC Gerrard, in a statement, revealed the ongoing physical and emotional toll of the attack, describing his daily agony and the frustrations of a prolonged rehabilitation.
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