Student glassed and scarred for life by cousins he accused of filming his girlfriend in Headingley's Box bar
Two cousins left a man scarred for life after glassing him in a Headingley bar when he thought they were filming his girlfriend on a phone.
Sahaar Malik and Cyrus Malik, both 23, attacked the young man in the upstairs room at Box during a karaoke night, throwing punches and a glass into his face.
Both defendants appeared at Leeds Crown Court this week where they admitted Section 20 GBH. CCTV footage from that night of October 21, 2022, was played to the court that showed the room full of revellers.
It was reported that the victim’s girlfriend had seen the two defendants with another male staring at them earlier on, making her feel uncomfortable. The victim then confronted them and snatched the phone after he thought it was pointed towards his girlfriend in the bar area.
Sahaar Malik was seen to approach the man and lash out, punching him to the face, before hitting him to the face with the glass. Cyrus Malik then approached the man as he backed away to the other side of the room and threw a punch, which connected with the man’s face.
He then followed the victim who was trying to leave and connected with another blow. Door staff were alerted and the defendants were detained until police arrived.
The victim was left with three cuts to his face - above his right eye, to his cheek and to his lip. He also had a cracked tooth. He was taken to hospital for treatment.
Prosecutor Carmel Pearson read out a victim impact statement for the student, who was in his third year. She said he had been left with lifelong scars and was now afraid to be out in the Headingley area.
Mitigating for Sahaar, Richard Holland said that the phone recording was of everyone on the dance floor at the time, was not aimed towards the victim’s girlfriend and that the victim started the confrontation.
It was also claimed that he had only intended to throw his drink, but the glass had slipped from his hand.
But he conceded: “It was totally unacceptable what happened next. He has shown genuine remorse and genuine reflection on what happened. He no longer drinks alcohol and wanted to apologise to the victim.”
For Cyrus, Jonathan Turner said that he too was “ashamed of the events that took place”. He said he would make “any effort” to compensate the victim.
Neither defendant has any previous convictions.
The judge, Recorder Edward Legard told them: “It’s particularly sad to see two young men of hitherto good character, both with strong work ethics, to find yourselves in a court on a charge of this severity.
“I have no doubt that both of you are thoroughly ashamed of yourselves, and having brought similar shame on your families.
“He [the victim] did not present a physical threat to you whatsoever. He was seen to back away and you continued your assault thereafter.
“All he had done was remonstrate with you for what he perceived as an intrusion of his girlfriend’s privacy.”
Sahaar, of Town Street, Stanningley, and Cyrus, of Wakefield Road, Gildersome, were both handed 15 months’ jail sentences, suspended for 18 months.
They were each given 200 hours of unpaid work and 10 rehabilitation days. Sahaar was ordered to pay £750 compensation to the victim and £500 court costs. Cyrus was told to pay £400 compensation and £250 costs.