A man has been jailed for a year after police discovered him carrying a kitchen knife on a Southsea street. Fahad Abbas, 43, of no fixed address, also pleaded guilty to several shoplifting offences at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Tuesday.
Police were alerted by a motorist at approximately 6:50pm on Sunday 2 November to a man holding a knife on Waverley Road in Southsea. Officers from the city’s District Patrol Team were immediately deployed to the location.
Upon arrival, the man fled from officers before being detained on the street for a search. Despite claiming he was not carrying anything that could harm himself or others, the searching officer discovered a kitchen knife concealed in his trousers, which was subsequently seized.
Abbas, a British citizen of Kenyan descent, was arrested and charged with possession of a knife in a public place alongside multiple shoplifting offences. These included three separate incidents at the Co-Op store on Great Southsea Street occurring between July and September. He admitted to all charges at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Tuesday 4 November and received a 12-month prison sentence.
Chief Inspector Sam Warne, who oversees Portsmouth’s Neighbourhood Policing Teams, praised the officers’ response. “I’m really proud of the response of the officers responding to this incident. We identified the man involved in the initial report from the motorist and detained him within minutes. He could have gone on to cause serious harm with the knife that he was carrying.”
He noted that the officer who pursued and initially detained Abbas had only recently completed training and joined the District Patrol Team eight weeks ago. “The new officers that are joining our ranks are making a real difference for the public in the city. Within 48 hours of Abbas’ arrest he had been sentenced and had been sent to prison.”
Chief Inspector Warne emphasised the team’s commitment to supporting Portsmouth’s business community: “The dedication of our teams to also secure charges relating to shoplifting is also important as it’s part of our commitment to support the business community in Portsmouth.”
The officers’ actions were also recognised by a member of the public who witnessed the incident. In a message to police, they wrote: “Their heroism is commendable given the fact of the recent knife train attack. The police family rush towards danger as they keep the public safe – we expect too much from them for doing their job. We need to reflect in a broader public understanding how invaluable they are to enable everyone to reside in a democratic society. Thanks for being there.”
Chief Inspector Warne stressed that tackling serious violence, including knife crime, remains a priority across Hampshire and specifically in Portsmouth. “We continuously work with partners to manage individuals at risk of reoffending, identifying those who have been involved with knife-related offences and providing opportunities for engagement and diversion, but pursuing prosecution and enforcement when appropriate.”
He added that police work with education providers across the city to ensure children and young people understand the consequences of serious violence and knife crime as part of their prevention strategy.
“Our communities should not live in fear of knife crime,” he said. “We encourage the public to continue reporting to us and providing information in relation to individuals involved in serious violence and knife crime. This helps us to build a better picture of what is happening in our communities and how we can best utilise our resources to keep the community safe.”
