An Afghan asylum seeker wielding a kitchen knife went on a rampage through a Morrisons supermarket in Bradford, West Yorkshire, shouting 'I am mad with King Charles.' Milad Panjshiri, 22, entered the store brandishing a six-inch blade, causing chaos by sweeping bottles off displays and threatening a female employee with the weapon.
Video footage shows Panjshiri prowling through aisles with the knife, toppling shelving units and piercing tins. The incident occurred on December 5 last year, prompting staff to trigger the fire alarm and evacuate customers, including pensioners, from the packed supermarket.
Bradford Crown Court heard that Panjshiri was overheard stating his anger towards King Charles. One staff member saw him tapping the knife on his leg before confronting a colleague and brandishing the blade at her. Employees were left distressed and tearful while escorting bewildered customers out of the store.
Police received a call shortly before 11am and arrested Panjshiri at the scene, seizing the weapon. The Afghan national, of Deneside Terrace, Bradford, declined to appear from his prison cell for sentencing and was sentenced in absentia.
In mitigation, Fuad Arshad argued that mental health issues played a role in Panjshiri's conduct, noting there was no evidence he attempted to attack members of the public. However, Recorder Tony Watkin described the incident as 'a very troubling offence' and 'something in the way of a rampage,' handing down an 18-month custodial sentence.
The judge added: 'He was brandishing that knife in a public place, and there can't be that many more serious examples of offending of this nature than what happened on that day.' He also revealed that prison staff had flagged concerns about violence, psychosis, and makeshift weapons while Panjshiri was on remand. The judge noted that Panjshiri may serve 40 percent of his sentence, but his immigration status could affect his detention.
