Knife victim jailed for stabbing

The court heard Martin was given a knife by a third party

The victim of a knife attack who repeatedly stabbed a man he mistook for his assailant has been jailed.

Simeon Martin, 27, attacked Mubarak Duale, 22, in Cardiff in January after mistaking him for the man who had stabbed him eight months previously.

Martin, of Grangetown, Cardiff, was jailed for five years after admitting wounding with intent. He had been cleared of attempted murder.

The judge at Cardiff Crown Court said the case was "most unusual".

Martin told police in May last year he had been walking home when he was attacked by two Somali men and stabbed in the calf.

The court heard that on a night out at a club in Cardiff city centre on 24 January, he mistook Mr Duale for one of his attackers.

The sequel to you being attacked was macabre, disturbing and horrifying Judge Nicholas Cooke QC

Martin was given a knife by an unidentified third party and stabbed Mr Duale repeatedly in his arms, legs, back, stomach, chest, face and throat.

Mike Jones, prosecuting, said there was no evidence that Mr Duale, who was treated in intensive care, was connected to the attack on Martin and no-one was ever arrested.

The court was told Mr Duale now gets out of breath quickly because of an injury to his lung, while the scars suffered served as a daily reminder of the attack.

Sentencing, the Recorder of Cardiff Judge Nicholas Cooke QC, told Martin: "The sequel to you being attacked was macabre, disturbing and horrifying.

"You mistakenly identified the victim of your attack as one of those who had attacked you earlier and your response was highly irrational.

'One-off offence'

"A wicked third party armed you with a knife and you attacked Mr Duale, inflicting serious injuries."

Richard Twomlow, mitigating, said Martin was a man of "previously excellent character" who had been rebuilding his life after he had been stabbed himself.

The judge said the case was "most unusual" because the perpetrator of the stabbing had himself been stabbed and described it as a "one-off offence".

He added he must treat the case as a life-threatening injury, but would take into account that Martin had not taken a weapon to the scene but was provided with the knife at a club.

The judge said: "This is an exceptional case because of the background. Other culprits of knife crime must expect a lengthier sentence."