Drug Dealer Bashes Man with Metal Curtain Rail – Jailed for 10 Years
A ruthless drug dealer has been locked up for over a decade after savagely attacking a man with a metal curtain rail in Gravesend. Simphiwe Tibe, 26, left his victim battered and bruised, with serious facial injuries following a bitter squabble over drugs in November 2018.
Violent Attack Over Drug Dispute
The brutal assault happened after Tibe supplied cannabis to a man in Aurora Court. The victim accused him of shortchanging the product, sparking a heated argument. In a shocking rage, Tibe smashed the metal curtain rail over the man’s head, knocking out four teeth and causing multiple fractures.
The victim required urgent hospital treatment and could have faced even worse injuries, police revealed.
Drug Dealer Caught in Police Dragnet
Tibe initially slipped under the radar but was caught after plain-clothes officers spotted a known drug user buying from him in Waterton Avenue just a week later. A search uncovered large amounts of cocaine and heroin in his coat pocket, along with incriminating texts on his phone about drug sales.
He was arrested but bailed pending forensic tests. Two days later, officers spotted him again following a disturbance at Aurora Court. By now, CCTV had firmly identified him as the attacker, and he was locked up on suspicion of grievous bodily harm and drug offences.
Long Jail Term for Dangerous Offender
Judge at Woolwich Crown Court sentenced Tibe on 25 April 2019 to over ten years behind bars after he pleaded guilty to grievous bodily harm and possession with intent to supply class A drugs.
“Tibe has shown himself to be a highly dangerous offender willing to make money from drug dealing and assault those who challenge him,” said Detective Constable Mark Donovan.
“There is no place for such behaviour. It is only down to good fortune the victim did not sustain life-changing injuries. The sentence is entirely justified and sends a clear message that we take a robust stance against drug dealers and those carrying weapons.”
