Brave Nando's staff members locked the doors of their restaurant to stop a man escaping after he stabbed his wife's boyfriend.
Alysah Samuel, 22, arranged to meet his estranged wife in Nando's restaurant in Leicester on the evening of Saturday January 4.
At Leicester Crown Court yesterday, Samuel pleaded guilty to wounding with intent and possession of a bladed article.
Police say the pair had met up at the Highcross Shopping Centre but during their encounter his wife texted a friend for help
The message was passed onto her new boyfriend who arrived at the restaurant around 10pm.
The victim was approached by Samuel who made a verbal threat before lunging at him and stabbing him with a knife.
The 22-year-old sustained a slash to his upper arm and a stab wound to his chest as being tended to by members of the public outside.
Officers arrested Samuel as he attempted to make his escape through the back of the restaurant having been locked in by staff members.
A black flick knife was found in the rear service yard.
Detective Constable Louise Osborne said the victim is very lucky to have not been more seriously injured in the altercation.
She said: “The knife caused an arterial bleed and the victim lost a significant amount of blood which required emergency surgery to stop the bleeding.
"There is the possibility that without the excellent first aid and assistance he received at the scene by members of the public and the police officers he may not have survived.
"Those that came to his aid that night must be recognised for what they did.
“The quick thinking actions of the restaurant staff must also be acknowledged for the part they played in this incident.
"In their efforts to help detain the suspect, they locked him in the premises with themselves disregarding their immediate safety.
"It may well may that without their assistance and the swift response from officers on the scene, Samuel may not have been apprehended so quickly.”
DC Osborne added: “This was an isolated incident and while incidents such as this is not something that is seen in restaurants in our city, I appreciate that it did cause some concern especially to those who were in Leicester that night.
"I want to reassure the public that knife crime is an issue which as a force we take extremely seriously and we remain committed to tackling the ongoing issue of knife crime."
