Six years for attack in Windygates shop

Sher Ali bundled a terrified pensioner out of her car in Glasgow to drive to Fife to commit the attack.

At the High Court in Edinburgh, he was told he posed ‘‘a serious risk’’ to her and to others after his car hijack.

Lord Burns told Ali (32): “I understand these events took place at a low point in your life but that provides no mitigation for this series of offences.”

He jailed him for a total of six years and 10 months and ordered that he be supervised for a further two years.

He also imposed a life driving ban on the offender who has six previous convictions for driving while disqualified and without insurance, and five for dangerous driving.

The court heard that Ali got in the front passenger door of a car owned by 77-year-old Katharine MacKintosh after she parked in Glasgow’s St Vincent’s Crescent on February 3.

He told her to get her to get out, and when the shocked pensioner did not react, he opened the driver’s door and pushed her out.

After falling to the ground the victim got to her feet and screamed for help.

Passers-by tried to stop Ali from driving off but he managed to start the car and made his getaway.

About half an hour later his estranged wife Unisiat Zahra (30) who was working in the Village Store at Windygates got a call from Ali.

She was alarmed, and reminded him there was a court order preventing him from contacting her. She hung up and blocked his number.

But Ali later turned up at the shop, and, when she asked him why he was there, he said: “I tell you”.

He than ran round to her side of the counter, pulling out a knife and began striking her on the head with the weapon.

A customer heard the victim’s screams and saw Ali flee. She phoned the police after realising the victim was bleeding from the head.

Ms Zahra was taken to hospital where staff closed a wound to her head. Her face was also swollen and she was unable to open her jaw.

The victim’s sister went to the hospital, and while there, got a call from Ali asking whether she was dead or alive.

Police later found the stolen car back in Glasgow and traced Ali to a house in Auchinleck, Ayrshire, two days later where he initially gave a false name and date of birth.

Ali earlier admitted assaulting the pensioner and robbing her of her car and assaulting his estranged wife to the danger of her life. He was on bail at the time of the offences.

He also admitted breaching a bail order made at Kirkcaldy Sheriff Court preventing him contacting Ms Zahra or entering Fife except for pre-arranged court hearings and driving while disqualified and without insurance in Glasgow, Windygates and on roads in between.

He further pleaded guilty to attempting to pervert the course of justice by pretending to police on February 5 that he was Azad Afzal.

Defence counsel Thomas Ross told the court that Ali’s personal affairs had reached “rock bottom” at the time of the offences.

His wife had left with their child and relocated to a different part of the country and he had ended up in homeless accommodation in Glasgow.

“It is fortunate his wife was not seriously injured but it must have a terrifying experience for her,” said Mr Ross.