Three men have been jailed for a total of nearly 30 years for a brutal machete and knife attack in Walsall. Awais Butt, Adam Sidat, and Fida Butt carried out the attack at Palfrey Park on May 1, 2023. The three victims suffered slash injuries to their bodies during the broad daylight incident. Awais Butt and Sidat, both 20 years old, pleaded not guilty to wounding and possession of a machete, while Fida Butt, 18, pleaded not guilty to wounding. However, they were found guilty of the charges following a trial at Wolverhampton Crown Court. Awais Butt and Sidat were sentenced to 11 years in jail, while Fida Butt was sentenced to six years.
The attack took place at around 4pm when the three defendants shouted at a man from another group in the park. Sidat, 20, asked the man, “You robbed something?”, before pulling out a 15-inch curved machete from a black case. Awais Butt and Fida Butt then took out knives and proceeded to strike the man in the head with the weapons. Two of the victim’s friends who came to his aid were also attacked, resulting in slash injuries to their bodies.
After the attack, the three defendants fled from the park onto Queen Mary Street, where their movements were captured on CCTV. Subsequently, they were seen running into a communal car park on Cobden Street. The CCTV footage played a crucial role in identifying the perpetrators. The suspects were arrested on May 4.
During an identity parade, all three victims identified Sidat as one of the attackers, and Awais Butt was also picked out. Detective Constable Simon Pritchard, the investigating officer at Walsall CID, described the attack as “savage” and highlighted the importance of CCTV in identifying the defendants. He stated that the sentences sent a clear message that the carrying and use of weapons, including machetes and knives, will not be tolerated on the streets of Walsall. The case was part of Operation Target, an initiative aimed at combating serious and organised crime.
