Two thugs locked up for 48 years after savage axe attack on A2 near Canterbury
Brutal Axe Assault Shocks Busy A2 Road
Kent Police scrambled to the scene near Wincheap junction on 14 December 2024 after reports of a vicious axe attack. They found two men – aged in their 20s and 30s – suffering serious head injuries. One victim was viciously struck with an axe. A third man escaped unharmed and helped paramedics on site.
Premeditated Stop and Attack Between Cars
The attackers, driving a silver Mercedes, forced the victims, who were in a white Seat, to halt in the live carriageway. Then, without warning, they launched a brutal assault. Police confirmed all the men knew each other, and the suspects fled immediately after.
Fugitives Caught After Dramatic Escape and Hospital Visit
- Dawood Khan, 28, made a run for Afghanistan the day after the attack but was soon back in the UK where cops nabbed him.
- Esmatullah Paktiawal, 36, showed up at Folkestone’s Napier Barracks hours after the attack, sporting injuries to head, back, and hand. He claimed he fell off a fence but was hospitalised and arrested later in Manchester.
Locked Up For 24 Years Each After Guilty Verdict
Both men denied charges of attempted murder and grievous bodily harm. But after a gruelling six-week trial at Canterbury Crown Court, jurors found them guilty on 21 November. One week later, each was slammed with 24 years behind bars.
Detective Inspector Colin McKeen said: ‘This was a brutal and premeditated attack that nearly took one man’s life. The sentences handed down reflect the severity of the violence used and the wider criminal activity that was being conducted by these individuals. Kent Police works tirelessly to ensure that violent offenders such as Khan and Paktiawal are held accountable and are unable to escape justice. I welcome the sentence passed by the court and hope it can provide a sense of closure to the victims.’