Azzeddine Mahmoudi attacked members of the public with a knife outside an Aldi and people have been praised for “heroically” stepping in to try and stop him
A former maths teacher has been jailed for a “frenzied attack” with a knife where people “heroically” tried to stop him.
Azzeddine Mahmoudi pleaded guilty to two counts of unlawful wounding, one count of affray and two counts of possession of a bladed article at Southampton Crown Court and was given a two-and-a-half year prison sentence.
CCTV footage shows Mahmoudi brandishing a knife outside an Aldi supermarket towards a person with a scooter, before pursuing two other men and running along the pavement on Sunday August 3.
He is also seen in a stand-off outside the supermarket with a person pushing a shopping trolley, before police cars arrive and he gets down on his knees.
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A Hampshire Constabulary spokesman said: “During the attack, a court heard two people suffered serious but, thankfully, not life-threatening injuries while he also attempted to assault five further people.
“As the 46-year-old ran around with a long kitchen knife in his hand, several members of the public bravely sought to contain and coral him, leading him away from the busiest areas. A court heard one of those brave people ‘wasn’t trying to be a hero’ but they ‘just wanted to help’.
“When officers arrived at the scene, Mahmoudi was stopped with incapacitant spray and then arrested. During a search, a second smaller knife was located in his possession.” The spokesman said the first victim suffered cuts to this head and arm while the second man suffered injuries to his hand.
He added that Mahmoudi, who is from Southampton and has an aerospace degree, had been suffering from mental health issues for several years.
Sentencing Mahmoudi, Judge William Mousley KC told him: “The situation you created caused panic, with many members of the public, including children, fearing for their safety. I am satisfied this was part of a prolonged incident. A number of witnesses have discussed the ongoing anxiety this has caused them.”
Detective Constable Ryan Mitchell said: “Azzeddine Mahmoudi launched a frenzied attack which was terrifying for all involved and those in the vicinity, when all they were trying to do was go about their business on a sunny summer’s afternoon.
“The fact no-one was more seriously hurt or died as a result of this attack is in no small part thanks to the heroic actions of those members of the public, who, without a second thought for their own safety, bravely stepped in to help those around them and prevent him from sustaining his attacks much further before police arrived.”
