Racist in ‘revenge’ machete attack found guilty

A MAN who screamed “white power” as he launched a machete and claw hammer attack on an Asian dentist has been found guilty of attempted ­murder.
Murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby who Davies said he was avenging. Picture: PAMurdered Fusilier Lee Rigby who Davies said he was avenging. Picture: PA
Murdered Fusilier Lee Rigby who Davies said he was avenging. Picture: PA

Zack Davies of Mold, North Wales, who was radicalised online, had admitted wounding with intent to inflict grievous bodily harm but had denied attempted murder.

It follows a vicious racially-motivated attack on Dr Sarandev Bhambra at the town’s Tesco superstore on 14 January.

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He followed Dr Bhambra because of his Asian appearance and attacked him with a machete and claw hammer which he had in a rucksack, shouting “This is for Lee Rigby.”

The incident happened while the dentist was shopping at the store during his lunch break, Mold Crown Court heard.

Davies was said to have caused Dr Bhambra severe injuries to the left hand, his back and head which were described as life-changing.

He said he chose his victim because he “looked Asian”.

Davies said he had gone to Mold Post Office to find his mother’s boyfriend and when he failed to find him saw Dr Bhambra and followed him into Tesco.

“It was a moment of madness. Up to today I have been able to control these urges,” Davies told police.

Witnesses reported seeing a white man chasing an Asian man through the store with a knife and hammer. Davies was only stopped when a member of the public, former serviceman Peter Fuller, stepped in.

Giving evidence, Mr Fuller – who had only gone to the store to buy milk – said he was still traumatised by the memory of the attack.

He heard shouts including “remember Lee Rigby” then saw Davies hacking at the dentist with a machete.

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Initially he was too shocked to do anything as Dr Bhambra 
fled up the aisle, but when the dentist doubled back and 
ran past him he said he made himself “as big as possible” and stood in Davies’ way shouting: “Stop, this is madness, I am ex-forces.”

Mr Fuller said Davies told him “We are under attack,” but then his demeanour changed.

“The fact I said I was an ex-
soldier, that I stood in his way, took the wind out of his sails,” he said.

He then persuaded Davies to place his weapons on the floor from where store workers removed them, and kept talking to him until police arrived.

Mr Fuller said Davies told him “You have stopped me” which he took to mean that he had stopped him killing the dentist.

“You can only have one intention when you hit someone with something like that,” he added.

Davies was said to have been obsessed with Nazi ideology, with various associated literature found in a later police search of his home.

Giving evidence, Davies said he was fascinated by Jihadi John, who he saw as an “inspiration” and even had a mask of him.

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Davies had admitted wounding with intent but denied attempted murder.

He will be sentenced at a later date.

Gareth Preston, senior crown prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service Wales, said: “Zackery Davies is a dangerous young man whose distorted and racist views led him to commit a terrifying act of violence.

“This was an attack against a complete stranger, singled out for no other reason than his ethnicity.

“Such was the level of violence involved that were it not for the extremely courageous actions of ex-serviceman Peter Fuller, this offence could have become an act of murder.

“As it is, Davies’s actions have left Dr Bhambra with life-changing injuries.

“We hope that today’s conviction will be of some comfort to him as he seeks to move forward with his life.”

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