A barber shop owner has spoken of the “terrifying” moment he fought for his life as he and his teenage nephew came under attack from a machete-wielding thug.

Haval Wehab, who runs Havel Surchi in Rochester High Street, was at work with Dealdi Ramadan Sadiq when they were inexplicably targeted by a balaclava-clad Cyrus Moses on the morning of May 12, 2023.

Armed with the fearsome-looking blade — described as a machete but in fact resembling a zombie knife —he went into the shop threatening to “kill everyone” before lashing out initially at Mr Wehab and then 19-year-old Mr Ramadan Sadiq as he bravely came to his uncle's aid.

But Maidstone Crown Court heard that while the business owner came off relatively lightly with bruising and scratches, his nephew suffered a stab wound which punctured his lung and lacerated his liver.

Having been airlifted to London’s King’s College, he had to undergo surgery to the 8cm deep injury which a pathologist later concluded could have proved fatal without medical intervention.

Moses, then aged just 20, was however arrested at the scene after being restrained by members of the public.

Just five weeks earlier he had been caught with a 30cm knife at Sutton train station in Surrey where a man had been repeatedly stabbed in the back and leg during a robbery.

Moses, of Westway in Caterham, Surrey, later claimed those in the barber shop had "spoken badly" to him while he had been in the area to collect a drug debt.

But although the sentencing judge on Monday (February 10) said he could not be sure why he had lost his temper and attacked the two "respected" men, he told the young father that he had "intended to cause really serious injury with a highly dangerous implement" that day.

The court heard the victims were confronted by Moses, who has previous convictions for violence and carrying knives, at around 9.30am.

“He said he was going to kill everyone in the shop. He was armed with a brick and a machete,” said prosecutor James Ross.

He then chased Mr Wehab out of a rear door into a yard and then an alleyway.

“Cyrus Moses said he was going to kill Mr Wehab. He caught him and attacked him with the brick, causing injuries to his hands,” continued Mr Ross.

"He struggled with Cyrus Moses and shouted for help."

In the meantime, Mr Ramadan Sadiq had run out of the front door and around the perimeter of the building as he heard his uncle's screams.

"He saw Cyrus Moses had Mr Wehab in a headlock and as he intervened, Cyrus Moses came at him with the machete," explained the prosecutor.

"He aimed at his neck but ended up slashing the right side of his stomach."

Despite the severity of his wound, the teenager was able to run back into the shop and summon help as Moses was restrained until police arrived.

Mr Wehab later told officers he had feared he would die. In a victim impact statement read to the court he said: "He was saying ‘I'm going to kill you, I'm going to kill you all in this shop.’

He grabbed me from behind. I was scared for my life.

"I hadn't seen him before and I was unsure why he was there and what this was about. I was shocked.

"He followed me. He ran and chased me. He was saying 'Come here, I'm going to kill you.' I was very scared and trying to save my life.

"I was scared he was going to kill me. He grabbed me from behind. I was scared for my life.

"I turned round and grabbed him by his arms. He was still saying he was going to kill me. He hit me with the large brick to my hands where I was holding him.

"I think he was trying to get me off of him. He hit me very hard with the brick."

Mr Wehab also described how he was struck to the head with the machete handle before others arrived in response to his cries for help.

"We were in a scuffle. I was trying to save my life the whole time. He was very strong. I'm quite strong myself but I feel if I wasn't, I would have been killed," he added.

The court heard that the incident had had a substantial effect on the businessman, both personally and professionally.

Describing himself as being left "paranoid and wary", he said he suffered from anxiety, had trouble sleeping and would wake "screaming" in the night.

Trade was also affected, with customers afraid to come in and staff leaving, he added.

"Life has never been the same for me personally and professionally since the male came into my barber's and tried to stab me for no reason," continued Mr Wehab.

"I have lost my life as I knew it, and my business. I have been in the UK for 23 years and feel this is my home."

His nephew was discharged from hospital eight days after the attack and was said to have made a full recovery from surgery.

However, his victim impact statement was not read in open court.

As part of the police investigation, ANPR cameras revealed Moses had been driven to the area that morning in a car bearing false plates.

It had also been seen in the Medway towns the previous day, travelling past the shop.

Moses originally stood trial in November that year accused of attempting to murder Mr Ramadan Sadiq and attempting to cause grievous bodily harm with intent to Mr Wehab.

Both victims had given evidence - but the jury had not retired to consider its verdicts - when the defendant's guilty pleas to alternative, less serious offences of causing grievous bodily harm with intent and assault causing actual bodily harm respectively were accepted by the prosecution.

Moses, now 22, also admitted two offences of possessing a bladed article in relation to the barber shop attack and the train station knifing on April 3, 2023.

He had, however, denied being the stabber on that occasion and the prosecution later offered no evidence to a charge of wounding with intent.

The court heard that Moses had spent almost two years in custody since his arrest, missing the birth of his child.

But Matthew Radstone, defending, said positive progress had been made in that time behind bars by someone who, having grown up with a mother who suffered with her mental health and a non-existent father, then went into care at 16.

Of the violence against the barber shop boss and his nephew, the barrister told the court his client's case was that he was in the area as a result of a drug debt and while in the shop "some words were spoken which he did not agree with".

"He was spoken to badly and the results were the offences committed that day," explained Mr Radstone.

But he disputed the violence had been carried out in revenge, as well as the claim Moses had been armed with a brick when he went into the shop.

I have seen that machete - a highly dangerous implement which, it is well-known to everyone, robs people of their lives

Ruling that Moses still continues to pose a danger of serious harm, Judge Philip St.John-Stevens said it was necessary to impose an extended sentence totalling nine years and three months in order to protect the public.

He added: "I have seen that machete - a highly dangerous implement which, it is well-known to everyone, robs people of their lives.

"It was used by you, intending to cause really serious injury....Why you were carrying that knife and why you went to that location, the court is unsure of.

"There was no premeditation or planning for it to be used on that particular victim, but you were carrying it for a reason."

Under his extended sentence, Moses was jailed for five years and three months, of which at least two-thirds must be served before parole can be applied for.

He will only be released once it is deemed safe to do so, with a further four years added to any licence period.

Judge St.John-Stevens also praised the bravery of Mr Wehab and his nephew.

Describing them as "respected members of the community", he said the effect of the violence they suffered "was not lost" on the court.

At the time of the attack, the then MP for Rochester and Strood, Kelly Tolhurst, praised the "exceptional bravery" of those who had gone to their aid and helped to apprehend Moses.

Speaking after his sentencing, Detective Constable Amy Jeffrey said: “Moses is a dangerous offender who subjected his victims to a terrifying ordeal.

“It is right that he has been given a custodial sentence. There is no place for violence on the streets of Kent and we will always strive to bring those who would carry out such acts to justice.

“I would particularly like to thank those members of the public who reacted quickly that day to assist the victims at the scene, and those whose evidence helped us secure Moses’ conviction and put a violent criminal behind bars.”