Thug jailed for vicious machete attack (Update)

A 27-year-old man who chopped a stranger with a machete so badly that his arm was left dangling was jailed for seven years today.

Ahijah Dill of Laffan Street, Pembroke approached Miguel Swan outside of the Leopard’s Club on January 22, 2012 in the evening.

He asked the victim for a cigarette and was told to “f**k off”. Dill walked away but returned a short while later with a machete and began to chop at Mr Swan.

Mr Swan was left with his right arm hanging, lacerations to his lower and upper back, right elbow and the back of his right arm.

Dill was convicted after a jury trial.

Reading out Mr Swan’s victim impact statement, crown counsel Takiyah Burgess said: “I have been in constant pain since and my pinky and ring fingers don’t work.

“I have been totally reliant on my girlfriend. I am very thankful to her and her family.

“I have been very depressed. I haven’t been able to visit a doctor because of a lack of job, thus no insurance.

“I also need surgery.”

The statement also said Mr Swan has suffered financial loss and has trouble sleeping as a result of the attack.

Giving her sentencing submissions, Ms Burgess said: “It’s the duty of the court to send a message to the community that this behaviour won’t be tolerated and treated lightly.

“Mr Swan’s arm was hanging off. He almost lost his arm.

“By the grace of God, re-attachment was possible. His tricep muscles were detached and there were wounds to the back of his neck.”

Ms Burgess also said the attack was “unprovoked”.  

Dill was unrepresented and when asked if he had anything to say, the defendant said: “I’m saying, you’re trying to impose the maximum sentence on me, but I have been blackballed.”

Dill also claimed there was no evidence in his trial.

Mr Hellman then told Dill this was not the time to refute the conviction, it was the time for him to speak on the potential sentence that should be given to him.

In his submissions, Mr Hellman said: “On January 22, 2012, you were making a nuisance of yourself and bumming cigarettes.

“Your victim told you to f**k off and you did, but you returned with a machete and attacked him.

“By your own actions, you brought Mr Swan’s comment on yourself”

He continued: “You carried out that attack with a weapon. A weapon that was capable of killing someone.

“Mr Swan could have very easily been killed by that attack. You very well could have been facing a charge for murder.”

Mr Dill was sentenced to five years for wounding Mr Swan, seven years for having a bladed article in a public place and nine months for intimidating the victim by saying “If you don’t drop the charges, I’m going to kill you next time”.

The five-year and seven-year sentences are to run concurrently but the nine-month sentence is to run consecutively.

During the sentencing, Dill began to curse at Mr Hellman. He said: “Seven years for a f**king machete?”