Man Jailed for Stabbing Cardiff Shopkeeper Over Fake Note

A man who stabbed a Cardiff shopkeeper after being caught trying to use counterfeit cash has been jailed for nine years with an extended five years on licence.

Abdul-Rahman Al-Ahmed, 21, tried to buy crisps and a drink with a fake £50 note at the Unistop shop on Salisbury Road on December 15, 2023. When the shopkeeper explained the note was counterfeit, Al-Ahmed insisted on being given change and an argument erupted.

As he was being ushered out, Al-Ahmed pulled a knife from his coat pocket and stabbed the shopkeeper in the stomach, leaving him with serious injuries requiring urgent surgery.

South Wales Police used retrospective facial recognition technology from the shop’s CCTV to identify Al-Ahmed within hours. His fingerprints were also found on the packet of crisps and drink container he’d thrown on the floor.

Six days later, officers arrested him at an address on Pen Y Waun Road, Cardiff, on December 22, 2023.

Al-Ahmed was already wanted by police in Dorset following another stabbing there in July 2023, and had failed to appear at court in May 2023 for sentencing on drugs charges.

At Cardiff Crown Court on Monday, September 29, he was sentenced for multiple offences including two counts of wounding with intent, assault occasioning actual bodily harm, affray, possession of a bladed article, and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

Officer in the Case, Detective Constable Anthony Hurley, said: “The swift response and arrest by officers ensured this offender was brought swiftly before the courts. Knife crime remains a top priority for South Wales Police, and we are committed to protecting our communities by tackling those who carry weapons and pose such serious risks to public safety. This case also demonstrates how vital facial recognition technology is for policing. The lengthy custodial sentence handed down reflects the severity of his actions and sends a clear message to those who carry knives and use them that they can expect to be sent to prison for a long time.”