Waltham Abbey: Three sentenced in attempted murder case

Two men and a woman have been sentenced to a total of more than 59 years for their roles in an attempted murder after a man was lured to a Waltham Abbey flat and shot in the leg.

On 24 November 2024 the victim was called and asked to drive to Howard Close in the town by 41-year-old Margit Knap, unaware others were waiting to attack and potentially kill him.

Just ten minutes later he arrived and, as he entered the block, was attacked by 27-year-old Amir Mahamud of Garfield Road in Enfield, and 30-year-old Hamidreza Nasiri of Holbrook Close, also in Enfield.

The victim managed to escape the assault and run to his car but one of the suspects shot at him, leaving him with a leg injury as he drove away. He received urgent treatment from paramedics close to the scene after he crashed his vehicle nearby.

Officers were at the scene within minutes of the call and Knap was quickly arrested in connection with our investigation.

We recovered two bullet casings casings and found a bullet that missed the victim in the spare tyre of the car, fired as he was driving away.

Rapid enquiries, CCTV review and forensic analysis led detectives to arrest Nasiri two days later, and Mahamud was located on 21 January 2025.

Investigators quickly established that mobiles associated with Nasiri and Mahamud were used for drug dealing, with dozens of messages regarding the supply of Class A and B drugs in the area found on the device.

All three were charged for their role in the plot and denied it at Basildon Crown Court. On Monday 6 October Nasiri and Mahamud were convicted of attempted murder and possession of a firearm.

Mahamud was also convicted of being concerned in the supply of cannabis and cocaine; Nasiri had pleaded guilty to these same offences earlier. Knap was found guilty of assisting in the commission of an offence involving serious violence.

On Monday 13 October 2025 at the same court, Mahamud and Nasiri were both sentenced to 27 years in prison for attempted murder and will have to serve at least 18 years of that sentence behind bars.

They were also given concurrent sentences for the possession of a firearm (five years each) being concerned in the supply of cocaine (four-and-a-half-years for Mahamud, five years for Nasiri) and being concerned in the supply of cannabis (one year for Mahamud, six months for Nasiri).

Knap was sentenced to five years in prison.

Speaking after the sentencing, Detective Sergeant David Crane said:

These sentences reflect the plain and obvious danger carrying a firearm presents.
Nasiri, Mahamud and Knap lured the victim to the location and attempted to kill him using a firearm. This was a callous act that took place on a residential street during daylight hours endangering the safety of the public.
I would like to praise the members of public who came forward to assist us with this case and also my team of detectives who have worked tirelessly to bring these individuals to justice.

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