Victim's family welcomes jailing of Telford boxer for Wellington baseball bat attack

They also said middleweight sportsman Ammir Fiaz, who struck the victim repeatedly with a baseball bat, should be banned from boxing for good.

Fiaz, and Habib Mohammed, both 23, and Idris Mohammed, 20, were sentenced to a combined six-and-a-half years for offences including causing actual bodily harm to Shakeel Younis during the incident, in Regent Street, Wellington, on December 8 last year.

The victim was also punched and kicked.

Shakeel's brother Naz Younis, a taxi driver, has spoken of the family's gratitude to the court and West Mercia Police for bringing the three men to justice.

"They thought they were above the law. It was a very difficult case because in the Muslim community people tend to try to resolve issues between themselves," he said.

"We are very happy with the sentences and with the judge's comments. I'm glad that the judge saw through their defence. We were pleased that he talked about Ammir Fiaz and the importance of boxers having self-control.

"We thank the judge for sending out a strong message that this sort of behaviour is unacceptable. They showed no remorse and haven't said sorry. It was a cowardly attack.

"They can't justify their actions, they can't explain why they attacked Shakeel. He got out of his car and they went for him then left him stumbling round dazed on the pavement.

"We also want to thank the police for the work they did on the case."

Role model

Mr Younis also said: "The British Boxing Board of Control should not give Fiaz his licence back. He should not be allowed to work in a gym in future. He was looked up on as a role model by kids.

"He has let down the sport, his family and the Telford Asian community. We have had a lot of phone calls from people in the area. Shakeel isn't a troublemaker and people know that."

Fiaz's licence to fight was suspended when he admitted the offences at an earlier hearing.

The three man were sentenced at Shrewsbury Crown Court last week.

For the assault Fiaz, of Dawley Road, Arleston, was jailed for 15 months and five months for possession of an offensive weapon to run concurrently.

For the assault and for possession of cocaine relating to an incident in Shrewsbury on June 16, 2017, Idris Mohammed was jailed for a total of three years and three months.

For assault Habib Mohammed was jailed for 12 months, and for intimidation relating to a social media video making threats to the Younis family he was jailed for 12 months to run consecutively.