Vogue model imposter who 'left ex for dead' jailed

Antonio Puccini, formerly known as Mohammed Khan, will serve at least 17 years

A man who stalked his ex-boyfriend before attacking him with a hammer and knife and threatening to perform a vasectomy on him has been jailed.

Antonio Puccini, formerly known as Mohammed Khan, duped his student partner, who he met online, into thinking he was a model with a "glamorous" lifestyle when in reality he lived in his parents' house in Birmingham.

After the victim ended the relationship, Puccini researched sinister acts such as "how to castrate" before infiltrating his student accommodation in Leeds, assaulting him and "leaving him for dead", Leeds Crown Court heard.

Puccini, 24, was found guilty of attempted murder and was jailed on Thursday for life with a minimum of 17 years.

The court heard that at first the victim "fell far and fast" for Puccini, who had created the persona of a high-flying model who travelled the world and even featured on the cover of Australian Vogue.

But before long, the victim's friends became suspicious of Puccini's claims and found inconsistencies, as well as evidence that he was a Nazi supporter, which was particularly concerning as the victim is Jewish.

The court heard that after he broke up with Puccini, who legally changed his name by deed poll in 2024, he was bombarded with calls and messages telling him he would "regret it".

It emerged that Puccini's search history on his phone included phrases such as "hammer hit to head", "does Leeds Bradford Airport have anywhere to throw a knife away", "painless death" and "the power of raping someone".

On the day of the attack Puccini sneaked into the victim's student accommodation and persuaded him to let him in, saying he had left behind his ID and a ring.

Prosecutor Robert Stevenson told the court: "You started the attack, you pulled his mouth down so hard he thought you were going to dislocate his jaw.

"You then got him in a headlock and tied him up and gagged him with a shirt and told him you had a gun."

Puccini then struck the victim over the head with a hammer and there was "blood everywhere", said Mr Stevenson.

Puccini told him he was going to perform a vasectomy, the court heard.

After the victim pretended to be unconscious, with "only the thought of his parents keeping him going", Puccini eventually left.

The victim alerted a neighbour and Puccini was arrested at Leeds Bradford Airport after disposing of the knife but not before he sent sexually explicit videos of the victim to his family.

He initially denied knowing the victim but later claimed he acted in self defence.

Puccini, of Heath Road in Birmingham, was found guilty of attempted murder in February.

'No remorse or empathy'

Mr Stevenson read an impact statement from the victim who said he had "lost his purpose", often felt frightened and confused, got headaches from his injuries and that his own fledging modelling career had come to an end.

Before handing down his sentence, Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Puccini: "What attracted the victim to you was all false and it was not long before inconsistencies became apparent and then this Nazi symbol on your social media.

"He could not have imagined what you planned to do next.

"After the attack where you hit the victim repeatedly on the head, you left him for dead.

"You then got a taxi to the airport where you sent dishonest messages to his family and sexual videos to his mother - a truly malicious and vindictive way of telling his family about his sexuality."

Explaining the reason for the length of Puccini's sentence, Judge Stubbs said aggravating factors included how pre-planned the attack was, the sadistic element and the extensive online searching.

He also dismissed Puccini's claims he was suffering from a personality disorder.

Judge Stubbs added: "You are an inconsistent historian and untruthful.

"There is no formal diagnosis of mental illness but you are manipulative and narcissistic and show no remorse or empathy.

"There is no reliable evidence to me that you will not continue to be a danger - you are a significant risk to the public."

Det Sgt Emily Walker of West Yorkshire Police said: "I would like to thank the victim for his tenacity and resilience at every stage of this investigation - he had to re-live his ordeal in court in order to ensure that justice was done.

"Puccini is a dangerous and violent individual who deserves to be behind bars for a long time as a result of his actions."

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