Rasheed Jama left a pubgoer with blood pouring from his head after the attack during a three-month perioud where the out-of-control man bit and threatened to rape police officers
A hammer-wielding man walked into a pub and attacked a random stranger after racially abusing, assaulting and threatened to rape a police officer just days earlier.
Rasheed Jama, 20, also said he would stab shop workers in the neck during a three-month period, where he told police “I hope your mum gets cancer”. Cardiff Crown Court heard that on June 20 last year, officers were called to reports of a man seen trying to climb over fences and was “foaming at the mouth”.
He was take to the University of Hospital of Wales for treatment where he was arrested. But he had to be removed from the A&E department and was placed in a police van after he became “abusive and irate” near the public. He then became racially abusive towards cops – before biting, spitting, and making harrowing threats.
He was heard to say ‘heil Hitler’, ‘kill the Jews’, and ‘I will rape someone tonight’. PC Robinson, was left with bruising, whilst another officer, PC Rowland, was bit on his hand and forearm, and was spat at to his face on a number of occasions.
WalesOnline report how prosecuting barrister, Martha Smith-Higgins, told the court that in a separate incident, on August 28 that year, Jama was asked to leave Foot Locker in St David’s Shopping Centre in Cardiff by a security guard, when he made a threat to return and stab staff members in the neck. When police turned up at the scene, he acted abusively towards them, including a female officer, who he threatened to rape.
He also used racial slurs towards another officer, behaviour described in a victim impact statement as “disgusting and vulgar”, and some of the worst they had encountered. And on September 11, 2025, whilst on police bail, Jama entered Penarth Labour Club armed with a hammer and immediately hit a man, Ryan Cotterill, who was unknown to him, to the head in an entirely unprovoked attack, before leaving straight after.
Blood could be seen pouring from Mr Cotterill’s head as a consequence of the incident. When arrested, Jama, who has five previous convictions, responded: “Yeah man, banana.”
Jama, 20, of no fixed abode, appeared at Cardiff Crown Court via prison video link, having previously pleaded guilty to religiously aggravated assault, assaulting an emergency worker, assault, and possession of an offensive weapon. Mitigating, his barrister, Will Bebb said: “He was 19 at time of offences, very young, and maturity is a key feature, along with impulsivity and risk taking behaviour.
“At the time he was acting irrationally, citing his intoxication as a key factor, and feels if he wasn’t on alcohol he wouldn’t be in jail. He has suffered significant issues with his mental health, and says he has felt far better since being in jail.
“I’ve dealt with him since the beginning of this procedure and there’s been a calming in his demeanour. He is someone who notes that he needs some sort of routine going forward.”
Sentencing Jama, Judge Christopher Felstead said: “You’re depressingly young for someone with this many convictions and this level of entrenched behaviour. You were 19 at the time of your behaviour and you are only 20 now. You must change course or you will be spending much of your time in prison. It cannot go on like this and I would encourage you to do anything you can to change course.
“I have read a pre-sentence report which sets out the difficulty and deprivation you suffered as a child and the significant mental health issues which you have had, largely unmedicated. I’m pleased to hear you are now getting assistance in custody and that you are doing better in custody, with some awareness of the seriousness of your offending. I am very concerned when you are freed that you represent a very high risk of harm to the public.”
Jama was sentenced to 18 months in prison. A forfeiture and destruction order has been made for the hammer, and he must pay a £187 victim surcharge. After the conclusion of the case, Paul Jenkins, for the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Hate crimes, of any form, are abhorrent and have no place in our society.
“The CPS will not hesitate to prosecute these offences whenever the legal test is met. We work closely with the police and our criminal justice partners to ensure that offenders are brought to justice and that the courts are made aware of any hostility shown as part of an offence.”
