21-year-old Mohammed Abdul has been imprisoned for driving a stolen 4×4 at a nightclub and smashing it through an outdoor marquee and onto a dance floor, injuring ten.
Abdul was sentenced to 28 years at Maidstone Crown Court for two counts of attempting to murder multiple people at the nightclub on Queen Street, Gravesend.
Some of his victims suffered serious injuries, including a woman whose pelvis was shattered, according to an official statement from Kent Police. The force said it was “a miracle no-one died”.
Abdul, inebriated by “at least 15 vodkas and cokes with tequila shots” and “five to 10 spliffs”, had earlier been thrown out of the nightclub, Blake’s, for “inappropriate behaviour”. He became aggressive with the bouncers as they ejected him, vowing he would return to “shut down” the venue and kill them.
CCTV shows Abdul, who was “enraged” and “felt humiliated” by the incident, attempting to do exactly that around ten minutes later, driving a stolen Suzuki Vitara down an alleyway at the bouncers at speed and carrying on to smash directly into the club’s packed dance floor marquee.
“Abdul’s actions that night were beyond deplorable, from his inappropriate behaviour which led to him being ejected from Blake’s, right through to driving at innocent people who were only looking for a good night,” said Senior Investigating Officer Detective Sergeant Alastair Worton.
“The idea of a vehicle being driven at people evokes very significant emotions in today’s climate and it is a miracle no-one died as a result of Abdul driving a 4×4 into the marque,” he added.
“Many of those who were injured are still recovering now and I hope today’s sentencing helps them find some closure.”
Abdul will be disqualified from driving for just two years after his release.