A head chef stabbed his trainee at a Bold Street restaurant after a “lewd” comment about his mum, a court heard.
Mehdi Banitorof appeared at Liverpool Crown Court on Friday after an attack which the judge deemed “Ready, Steady, Slash”. The 41-year-old was working his notice period as a senior chef at Persian restaurant Baron 84, and training Hossein Pourmoezi to be his replacement when the attack occurred.
Derrick Jones, prosecuting, said just before midday on April 16, both men were on shift in the kitchen and an argument broke out which quickly became heated. Mr Pourmoezi allegedly made a “lewd” comment about Banitorof’s mother, causing the head chef to “see red” and reach for a kitchen knife.
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Mr Jones said: “Another member of staff seems to be trying to get in between the complainant and the defendant. We then see the defendant pick up a large kitchen knife, and with a single swipe, lunge towards the complainant.
“We know he struck the complainant on his right forearm, which resulted in a wound.” CCTV footage of the attack was shown in court, and the victim could also be seen grabbing the same knife after it was put down, and walking off camera with it.
Police were called and Mr Pourmoezi was taken to hospital. He suffered a 3cm long transverse laceration, and a partial tear in the fleshy part of the muscle which controls movement in the little finger.
He required surgery under general anaesthetic to repair the wound and muscle tear. As a result of this, Mr Pourmoezi claims he can not lift heavy weights, and still has trouble with his little finger.
Nick Cockrell, defending, said: “Not only was he a man of good character, this incident, on the face of it, seems to be completely out of character. It seems that in those few seconds everything was a bit too much for him and as your honour said, he saw red.”
Mr Cockrell added that Banitorof, of New Chester Road, Rock Ferry, is a highly respected in his local community, and pleaded guilty at the earliest possibility at his first hearing. He said: “He was prepared to accept responsibility, he was remorseful for the incident and also wants to cooperate with the court process fully”.
The judge, Recorder Michael Maher, outlined the details of the argument, describing the victim as seemingly “irritated” but said the pair did shake hands not long before the argument began. He said: “From the CCTV at that stage, whilst Mr Pourmoezi may be said to be irritated, there doesn’t appear to be any overt hostility between either of you at that stage.
“Moments later however Mr Pourmoezi’s irritation grows at something you appear to have said to him, and his behaviour becomes somewhat aggressive. However, it is you Mr Banitorof that reaches for a kitchen blade, it is you that holds that blade by your side for several moments, before lashing out and striking your victim's arm.”
Recorder Maher added: “What prompted this violent outburst by you? You say that he made some lewd and inappropriate remark about your mother and the red mist descended. Let me be clear Mr Banitorof, even if he did say that, I do not regard that as any significant provocation for what you did.
“This was a place of work, it is well understood that professional kitchens are often cramped and stressful environments. “You were responsible as head chef for imparting your culinary skills, instead it quickly deteriorated into Ready Steady Slash.”
Banitorof was handed 12 months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, and was ordered to perform 180 hours of unpaid work. He must also pay a victim surcharge.
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