'Amnesiac' Leeds boxer warned to remember threat of jail after probation fail
An amateur boxer who claims he forgets to attend probation appointments has been warned by a judge to remember to bring a bag to “prepare for prison”.
Hahrdi Rahem was told he avoided being locked up by the “skin of his teeth” for an affray in Leeds, having being given a suspended sentence in November last year.
He was also given unpaid work and appointments with probation, but was returned to Leeds Crown Court this week where he admitted failing to attend the appointments on two dates.
Mitigating on the 23-year-old’s behalf, Rhianydd Clement said he has suffered ill health in recent months, including a broken nose and memory issues, blamed in part for his new-found career in the ring.
She said Rahem had missed medical appointments as well as probation, but had taken positive steps in life by signing up for a barbering course and a university course in business management.
Judge Robin Mairs questioned how he could recall those details, but not his probation appointments.
He was persuaded to adjourn the case until June 19, but told Rahem he needed to produce a doctor’s note about his memory loss.
He warned him: “Produce medical evidence that you have amnesia and therefore forget your appointments.
“Come prepared for custody on that day.”
He told him he must stay at his address on Johnston Street, Woodhouse, each night as part of his bail conditions.
No details of the offence that led to his suspended sentence were disclosed during the hearing, but Judge Mairs described it as “needless and vicious violence in the street”.
Court records show it happened in Leeds city centre on Christmas Eve, 2022.
He received 20 months’ jail, suspended for two years, along with the 20 probation days and 240 hours of unpaid work.
So far, he has completed just two probation days and 22 hours of work.