The director of a yoga company was jailed after inflicting life-changing injuries on another man in an unprovoked attack outside a bar in Hove.
Aftab Miah, 36, of Sherbourne Close, Hangleton, was sentenced in May to 21 months in prison for attacking Kit Bruce on Second Avenue, Hove.
Edward Hand, the prosecutor, told the Hove Crown Court that Miah was involved in an argument or argument at Pascal’s, but that everyone involved was kicked out.
Later, when Mr. Bruce was across the street, on the patio outside another bar, Libation, Miah got out of a car and ran up to him and hit him.
Mr. Hand said that “this was an unprovoked, single-blow attack,” and Mr. Bruce fell and hit his head on the sidewalk and passed out. Miah ran back to the car and it drove off.
Mr Bruce, 24, was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance and treated for brain bleeding and a fractured skull.
Mr. Hand said, “He had to undergo intense and very careful treatment. He had to be sedated for two days. It had extremely serious consequences for Mr. Bruce. “
His hearing and balance are badly compromised – and he added, “The impact of this very brief incident has been devastating to Mr. Bruce.”
He has lost more than £ 9,000 due to his incapacity for work and is in need of dental treatments that cost more than £ 2,000. The court was told that he had also had trauma counseling.
Rebecca Upton, who defended herself, said: “It was a single blow after a brief argument earlier in the night.
“The consequences of this blow were not intended by Mr. Miah. He is deeply ashamed of his behavior.
“It can only be described as a moment of madness. There is no justification for this and he does not claim that Mr. Bruce did anything wrong. “
The court was told that Miah had multiple convictions about 20 years ago for violence, drug and driving offenses. And he’d been to jail before.
He was involved in a violent attack on the Dynamic Hot Yoga business he runs in Hove. The company’s founder, Stuart Tranter, was injured in the attack.
Aftab Miah
But Miah is now a married father of two, said Miss Upton, and since the birth of his children he has largely stayed out of trouble and focused on his business and charity work.
He had served a driving ban after crashing into a tree under the influence of drugs a few years ago.
However, the rehabilitation activity had “almost no effect” due to the coronavirus lockdown and consisted mainly of five-minute phone calls.
She said, “No work has (been) done on the underlying problems in Mr. Miah’s life.”
On convicting Miah, Judge Stephen Mooney said to him: “You have a terrifying tendency to use violence when insulted.
“You are – and have the ability to do so – a thoroughly violent and dangerous man.
Councilors reviewed Pascal’s license today after police and officials raised a number of concerns, including the May fight
“You have another side of your character. You realize the need to turn your life around. You have done a lot of community service. You have facets of your character that deserve recognition.
“They had some kind of disagreement that festered. You thought about it. You planned and planned. “
Describing the attack, Judge Mooney said, “It was cowardly. It was unprovoked. It was vicious and had disastrous consequences for Mr. Bruce and his family. “
The judge said the 24-year-old’s life was ruined and said to Miah, “You have robbed him of his hearing, his sense of smell, his balance, his ability to work.
“His life will never be the same again and it was completely unnecessary.
“The violence that you use and continue to use poses a risk to the public.
“He could have died – and you would have watched a much longer sentence.”
Miah said quietly, “I understand,” and he was taken from the dock to the jail.
