Former Gurkha detains crazed knife-wielding mugger despite having a whole SIX-INCH blade embedded in his arm

Ex-Gurkha says man attacked him after visiting a cash point in Maidstone, Kent

Said he 'kept trying to stab me' but managed to block and control the attacker

Only realised afterwards that a blade was embedded in his arm

Attacker Jamie Hall jailed for 10 years

An ex-Gurkha forced to defend himself when attacked by a man wielding a knife only realised afterwards a six-inch blade was embedded in his arm.



Jamie Hall, 39, has been jailed for 10 years after he stabbed shop owner Taitex Phlamachha, 38, so hard he buried a whole knife in his arm.



Mr Phlamachha was out for an evening walk with his wife Asha, 38, when they stopped to have a look in the window of a health shop, in Maidstone, Kent.



Heroic: When former Gurkha Taitex Phlamachha was attacked at knife point, he fought back and restrained the attacker. It wasn't until afterwards he realised a blade was embedded in his arm

Suddenly Mr Phlamachha was thrust up against the wall and allegedly told to 'hand over the money', or get stabbed.



The former soldier and black belt in karate and taekwondo, said 'yes' - then calmly warned the attacker: 'First you should know who I am.'



The tussling pair then fell to the ground where the mugger knelt on his chest and tried to thrust his knife into the victim's stomach.

But the ex-Gurkha blocked the attacks and managed to throw his mobile phone to his wife so she could dial 999.



He then threw the attacker off him and disabled him with a kick.

For the next 15 minutes he held onto the attacker with one hand while waiting for the police.

Bizarrely, the Iraq and Afghanistan veteran was unaware he had a whole blade embedded in his arm until he noticed the handle of the knife on the road.

Embedded: The X-ray shows just how large the blade was that initially went unnoticed by the heroic ex-Gurkha

Medics took him to Maidstone Hospital before he was later transferred to Tunbridge Wells Hospital, Kent, where surgeons removed the blade.



Hall, from Maidstone, Kent, admitted attempted robbery, causing grievous bodily harm with intent, having an offensive weapon and assault.



Judge Michael Carroll, who had called the attack 'heinous', imposed an extended sentence on Hall who will not be eligible for parole until he has served two thirds and will then be on licence for a further five years.

Mr Phlamachha, a Gurkha with Maidstone's 36 Engineers for 13 years, was attacked as he walked with his wife on October 7.



The couple, who run Namaste Off Licence in Sandling, were on their way home at about 10pm - having just withdrawn £1,300 from a cash machine.

Speaking after the attack ex-soldier Mr Phlamachha said: 'I tried to warn him. Don't mess with Gurkhas. W e're trained to fight.

Guilty: Jamie Hall, 39, stabbed shop owner Taitex Phlamachha, 38, so hard he buried a whole six inch knife in his arm. He has been sentenced to 10 years jail

'I'm a second dan black belt in karate and a first dan black belt in Taekwondo.



'I did say, "You need to know who I am". But he didn't listen. '

Mr Phlamachha explained that he was attacked shortly after visiting a cash point.

'... he grabbed my arm and pushed me against the wall.

'We fell to the ground and he kept trying to stab me, but I managed to block them.



'My wife was terrified he was going to kill me. She was screaming for help so I threw her my mobile phone.



'Eventually I threw him off me but he tried to push my wife over.



'I kicked him and punched him then I heard him say, "I'm in trouble now."



'I saw the knife handle on the floor with no blade, then noticed all the blood coming out of my arm, so I said, "You're in trouble. And I'm in trouble too."



'I was holding onto his hoodie but he took it off, so I just held on to his t-shirt instead until the police arrived.



'There was lots of blood and I was in pain but it was only when I got to hospital the blade was discovered inside me.'



Mr Phlamachha, who retired from the Gurkhas last year, added: 'I'm proud to be a Gurkha and I'm a proud father.

