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Asylum-seeker jailed for attempted murder

A client who admitted trying to murder his own solicitor in his Glasgow office has been jailed for 11 years.

Esayas Neguse stabbed his lawyer Muhammad Shoaib in the neck and body in September 2022.

When two colleagues tried to intervene, he headbutted one and bit the hand of the other, the England and Wales Law Society Gazette reports.

Guilty plea

Neguse (37) pleaded guilty on the third day of his trial at the High Court in Glasgow to attempted murder, two charges of assault, possession of a knife and behaving in a threatening and abusive manner at Govan police station where he had been taken following the incident.

In sentencing, Judge Lord Colbeck said the Eritrean national, who was an asylum-seeker, had intended to kill a solicitor who was trying to represent him, and caused severe and permanent injuries.

Shoaib suffered a stab wound to his chest and right hand and feared he was about to die.

Neguse had arrived without an appointment but Shoaib had nevertheless agreed to see him.

'Agitated'

Witnesses said the client appeared “unhappy and agitated” and kept his hand in the right pocket of his jacket.

Within seconds of being ushered into Shoaib’s office, he produced a kitchen knife and proceeded to attack the lawyer.

Police praised the two colleagues who heard Shoaib’s shouts for help and ran in to confront Neguse.

They attempted to disarm Neguse and wrestled him out of the office and into the reception area while the solicitor called emergency services.

Police officers in a passing van spotted the struggle and apprehended Neguse before finding the solicitor bleeding from his wounds.

A police spokeswoman said: “This was a shocking attack on a lawyer who was going about his everyday business working for the benefit of his clients.

“Had it not been for the brave intervention of his colleagues, this attack could have had tragic repercussions. And it is only right that we acknowledge their heroic actions.”