Knifeman is jailed for 24 years for stabbing 21-year-old man to death outside a McDonald's after his brother accidentally knocked over a £6.50 Jack Daniels and Coke in a nightclub
A knife wielding murderer who repeatedly stabbed a man to death outside a McDonald's during a row over a £6.50 spilled spilled drink has been jailed for a minimum of 24 years.
Momodoulamin Saine, 28, attacked Asim Khan, 21, outside the fast food chain in Cardiff city centre last July after Mr Khan's older brother Hamza accidentally knocked over a Jack Daniels and Coke in nearby Soda bar.
Judge Mr Justice Martin Griffiths described the spilled drink as a 'ridiculous grievance' - and a jury was shown CCTV of the moment the drink was accidentally knocked over.
Momodoulamin Saine, 28, has been jailed for life after stabbing Asim Khan, 21, to death outside a McDonald's in Cardiff last July during a row over a spilled drink
Asim was stabbed twice in the stomach after a street showdown over the spilled drink.
Hamza, 25, said: 'He died in my arms. The shock will last for the rest of my life.'
Fun-loving Asim and brother Hamza were outside in the smoking area of the fashionable Soda bar in Cardiff city centre on a summer night out.
A court heard the pair were talking and laughing until Hamza knocked over the drink of Momodoulamin Saine left on the floor.
Saine, 28, left Soda but the brothers stayed until 4am before leaving to get food.
The brothers were late outside the fast food restaurant in nearby St Mary Street when Saine took one of their drinks from a roadside bollard and walked off with it.
Asim Khan died in the arms of his older brother Hamza, during a row on a night out in Cardiff
Prosecutor Caroline Rees, QC, said the brothers followed Saine before he threw the drink at them.
Asim Khan then threw a drink back at Saine before he ran off and the brothers returned to McDonalds.
Ms Rees said: 'Words were exchanged after a drink was knocked over.'
The trial heard the three were in a 'confrontation' outside a McDonald's when Saine was kicked on the floor.
As Saine lent down to put his £6.50 drink on the floor to light a cigarette, Hamza Khan (passing against the wall circled in blue) walked past and accidentally knocked it down
CCTV images show the confrontation after a drink was spilled in Soda bar, Cardiff, last July
But Saine plunged his knife twice into Asim's stomach in the fatal attack in Cardiff city centre.
But Saine confronted them in the argument over a spilled drink in front of Saturday night revellers when he pulled out a knife.
Saine stabbed Asim twice in the stomach after the pair fought outside the fast food restaurant.
CCTV showed Asim stagger before collapsing to the ground shortly before 5am on July 21 last year.She said: 'Saine was clearly intent on confronting them again. There is no dispute he was in possession of a knife.
Asim, of Grangetown, Cardiff, was treated by paramedics at the scene but pronounced dead when he arrived at hospital.
Ms Rees said: 'The medical cause of death was given as stab wound to the belly.'
Saine, of Ely, Cardiff, claimed he was acting self-defence but was found guilty of murder at Newport Crown Court.
Ms Rees said: 'In his police interview he told officers he carried a knife for his own protection. He said he used it to scare his attackers.'
On August 2 last year Asim Khan would have turned 22. Instead, that day, his family and friends gathered for his funeral.
Saine was caught on CCTV leaving the scene after stabbing Asim twice in the stomach last year
Cameras caught Saine walking through Cardiff's straight moments after he had stabbed a man to death in a row over a drink.
His mother in a victim statement said: 'The fact that he is gone from us is devastating to me and my whole family.
'We have been traumatised ever since. Every day, we are mourning the loss of Asim. You can never imagine a worse pain and heartache.
'Every day we are filled with deep sadness and completely devastated.
'My pain is unbearable and to see the same pain in my children and family is too hard to bear. The tremendous void will never be filled.'
Hamza Khan, 25, also of Grangetown, was found guilty of grievous bodily harm for kicking Saine when he was on the floor. He will be sentenced later.
Mr Justice Griffiths described the spilling of a drink as a 'trivial incident'.
He told Saine: 'You had taken a knife with you that night. It was a vicious 9 or 10cm blade.'
The judge referred to a 'ridiculous grievance' over the drink.
He said Saine, of Ely, Cardiff, had racially abused the brothers before stabbing Asim.
He said: 'You pulled the knife from your pocket without ever disclosing you had it. Within seconds he fell to the ground and died in his brother's arms.'
No comments: