Shropshire pair jailed for assault on man who has since fled country

Kiril Mahob and Mano Hristov both pleaded guilty to a charge of assault occasioning actual bodily harm, when they appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court.

Mahob and Hristov, both 36, and both from Crestwood Court, Oswestry, were also made subject to a restraining order preventing them from contacting their victim, Mr Stefanov, for three years.

Kevin Jones, prosecuting, told the court how the pair, originally from Bulgaria, had attacked Mr Stefanov after an incident where he had come to the aid of his sister-in-law.

The incident that sparked the assault took place at a flat in Oswestry where there was a gathering on February 14 last year.

Mr Jones told Judge Stephen Thomas that the victim was with friends having a drink in their flat when an argument took place between Mr Mahob and his then wife, who was Mr Stefanov's sister-in-law.

Mr Jones said: "Mahob was abusive to his wife, calling her names and began to assault her.

"Mr Stefanov came to the aid of his sister-in-law but received abuse for his trouble. It would seem others at the scene were criticising him for trying to come to her aid and he decided to leave.

"The next day, February 15, he woke up and went to the flat to see how people were – inside the flat he saw six people, two of these were the defendants.

"Hristov was seen to get up and punch Mr Stefanov in the face. Mr Stefanov remembers being dragged, punched and kicked all over the place.

"He particularly remembers Mr Mahob strangling him and shouting at him. Fortunately another man present was shouting for the defendants to stop and that friend was able to get Mr Stefanov out of the flat."

The matter was reported to the police and Mr Stefanov was taken to hospital where he was found to have a broken nose and bruising.

The court was told that then on March 7 Hristov called the victim to tell him not to co-operate with the police or he would kill him, and told him to leave the country.

Mr Jones added: "On March 12 Mr Stefanov left his phone at home when he went to work. His wife was home and she answered and this time it was the other defendant and she was told by him that if he did not stop assisting the police he would kill him.

"She was told he and others would get Mr Stefanov outside work."

Mr Jones added that Mr Stefanov had left the country since the incidents took place.

Suzanne Francis, mitigating for Hristov, said he had pleaded guilty to the offence and had no previous convictions.

Jason Aris, mitigating for Mahob, said his client had also pleaded guilty and had no previous convictions, adding that he was remorseful about the time and cost of the case, as well as offering his apologies to the victim.

Sentencing Judge Thomas said: "For some reason you decided that you had to get even with Mr Stefanov and you punched him in the face.

"He was dragged, punched and kicked, and you, Mr Mahob, attempted to strangle him and were shouting at him."

He added: "Mr Stefanov reported the matter to the police and went to hospital with a broken nose.

"You decided you could not let it lie. Mr Stefanov received a call from you, Mr Hristov, a telephone call telling him not to co-operate with the police and that you knew where he lived and would kill him, and told him he should leave the country, which in actual fact is what he had to do to secure his safety.

"You joined in, Mr Mahob, by telephoning the number again and this time you spoke to his wife and you made a similar threat against him."

Judge Thomas said "only an immediate custody sentence can be justified", and jailed both for 18 months each.