A MAN from Camelford who "saw red" after a rape allegation and wounded an innocent student has been jailed for nine months.
Paul Rosen, 37, who believed that a relative had been raped, armed himself with a knife and attacked student Mohammed Abdul Malek as he left an Indian restaurant in Tintagel.
"This was a knife attack on an innocent man," said Judge John Neligan at Truro Crown Court, on Friday.
"It was obviously out of character but the use of a knife cannot be excused – custody must be immediate.
"I give you maximum credit for your plea of guilty to attempted wounding with intent, and take account of your glowing references and the probation officer's report, and that, mercifully, the injuries your victim suffered were nowhere near as serious as they might have been."
As he jailed Rosen, of Fore Street, Camelford for nine months, Judge Neligan added: "As your employers value you so much I have no doubt your job will be kept open for you."
Philip Lee, for the prosecution, said that Mr Malek was attacked in an alleyway.
He did not know Rosen and, to protect himself, grabbed the knife with both hands as they struggled, suffering cuts and scratches on his fingers and arms.
"I thought he was going to kill me," the attacked man told police officers afterwards.
When arrested, Rosen explained that there had been a rape allegation and he had "just seen red" and so he had picked up the knife to threaten the man.
There was no suggestion that Mr Malek had been involved and no suspect had ever been identified, added Mr Lee.
Martin Pearce, for the defence, told the court that Rosen was genuinely remorseful.
He asked the Judge to suspend the sentence.
"He was not thinking straight, it was not a case of attempted robbery and was not committed in drink, it just happened in the heat of the moment," said Mr Pearce.
The Cornish Guardian reported in December that the owner of an Indian restaurant in Tintagel said he was doing everything in his power to help police to trace a former member of his staff who was accused of sexually assaulting a young girl.
Police are continuing their investigations into the alleged assault on the young teenager in the kitchen of the restaurant on August 18 last year.
A restaurant worker in his early twenties, who is wanted for questioning, left the village soon after the incident was said to have taken plance and is now believed to be in France.
