South Harrow teen walks free after stabbing at Edgware McDonald's (From Harrow Times)

South Harrow teen walks free after stabbing at Edgware McDonald's

11:51am Wednesday 1st April 2009 in News

A SOUTH Harrow teenager who stabbed a motorist with a screwdriver in Edgware was spared jail yesterday.

Wais Nazari, 19, of Dudley Gardens, attacked Mehdi Kyrostami after a row outside McDonald's, in Stonegrove, storming round to the carpark and smashing the front windscreen of the victim's car.

He then slashed him across the stomach and stabbed him in the back with the screwdriver before fleeing the scene on July 10 last year.

Nazari was convicted of unlawful wounding and criminal damage at the Old Bailey.

Judge Peter Thornton QC sentenced him to 12 months imprisonment suspended for two years.

He said: “This was premeditated violence with a weapon in a public place.

“There was a verbal altercation at the front of McDonalds in Edgware with the driver of a car coming into the premises.

“It is not clear who started it. Sometime afterwards you went round to the back carpark and decided to launch an attack with a screwdriver.

“You caused him injuries including a slash across his stomach and a puncture injury to his upper back.

“However I accept that you now regret what you did. You have no previous convictions and there may have been an element of provocation from the driver of the car.

“I am prepared with some hesitation to suspend the sentence. You are intelligent and speak a number of languages and potentially have a good future ahead of you.”

Nazari, who is in his first year at university, was ordered to carry out 200 hours unpaid work and pay £500 compensation.

He will also have to obey a curfew between 9pm and 5am for the next four months.

The victim was treated at Barnet General Hospital but recovered quickly from his injuries.