Far right extremist sentenced for attack on Asian dentist

BBC News, The Guardian, Yorkshire Evening Post and the Daily Mail all report on the life sentence passed on Zack Davies for attempted murder after he viciously attacked an Asian dentist in a Tesco store in a racially-motivated revenge attack for the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby.

Zack Davies, 26, was heard shouting  “white power” and “This is for Lee Rigby” during the machete attack on Dr Sarandev Bhambra, 25, last January. Dr Bhambra suffered “life altering” injuries. He was rescued from the assault by an ex-soldier who intervened.

Mr Davies was convicted of attempted murder at Mold Crown Court in June and was told on 11 August 2015 that he must serve at least 14 years in prison.

Judge Rhys Rowlands said the incident was a “planned and racially motivated attack” and went on to say that Mr Davies had developed “extreme racist views” and had been plotting to carry out a “murderous attack” in order to draw attention to himself.

Dr Bhambra had been walking down an aisle in Tesco on 14 January 2015, when he felt a “huge blow” to the back of his head from a 30cm (12in) machete. Shopper Leanne Jones said she heard the words “white power” and that Mr Davies was acting “like a lunatic”, as he hacked Dr Bhambra with the machete, leaving him with two deep cuts to his scalp and another to his back. An injury to his left hand caused major nerve, artery and tendon damage, leaving him in need of surgery for five hours.

Items associated with white supremacy and Nazism were found at Mr Davies’ home, including banners, swastika badges and Combat 18 stickers. He said he was “absolutely fascinated” with Islamic State and described the British man known as ‘Jihadi John’ as his inspiration.

After the trial concluded, Dr Bhambra’s brother, Dr Tarlochan Singh Bhambra, said his family had “no doubt” that, had the “racial disposition” of the case been reversed, it would have been reported as an “act of terror”.

Detective Chief Inspector Alun Oldfield, from North Wales Police, said: “This was a horrific attack and we are pleased with the sentence given to Davies.”