Family feud behind machete attack in Walsall street, court told
A teenager armed with a machete stabbed a man in a Walsall street due to an ongoing feud between families, a court was told.
Shafiq Ur Rehman, 18, is on trial accused of wounding Tahir Mahmood, who was allegedly set upon by two males in Croft Street, Birchills, on January 24 as he headed to work at about 4.30am.
Wolverhampton Crown Court also heard that Rehman was also involved in a previous disorder on April 4 last year at a house in nearby Lewis Street when he and his brothers Fizaan and Rafiq were accused of kicking in the front door before entering and smashing up a TV and ornaments, then punching the householder Karim Kauser in the face.
Ben Williams, prosecuting, told the jury: "The background appears to be a long-running feud between members of the defendant's family and the victims' families. There is no suggestion that the victims were directly involved in the dispute, and were just caught up in it.
"Unlike other cases which may depend on a defendant's state of mind or intention, you only have to decide if he did the physical act. It is a limited scope that you have to consider.
"The daughter of Karim Kauser was at home with her brother and nephews watching TV in the back living room while her father was upstairs. At about 8.30pm she heard a smashing sound coming from the front room."
Giving evidence the daughter told the court that as her mother returned to see what was going on, Ur Rehman struck her on her left jaw, causing bleeding.
Rehman, of Mary Street, Birchills, is accused of an offence of burglary together with others of intent to cause unlawful damage, two offences of possession of a blade, wounding and assault by beating.
Due to the defendant's learning disability he was found not fit to plead and the jury is only required to decide whether or not he carried out the act. The trial continues.
