Man accused of stabbing in Telford cleared of attempted murder

A jury at Stafford Crown Court also recorded not guilty verdicts on charges of wounding with intent and affray against Mohammed Kabir Zaman following more than four hours of deliberations.

A fourth charge of violent disorder was ordered to lie on file after the prosecution offered no evidence. Zaman, 27, of Victoria Avenue, Wellington, was accused of inflicting the four stab wounds that left Mazir Khan gravely injured and with damage to his intestines and liver.

The injuries were inflicted during a disturbance in Woollam Road, Arleston, Telford, on April 14.

Prosecutors said it was only thanks to the skill of doctors at Royal Stoke University Hospital that Mr Khan survived.

The jury was told the two men, who had once been close, had fallen out over things allegedly written on Facebook by Mr Khan about Zaman's mother.

Mr Alex Chalk, prosecuting, had said Zaman stabbed Mr Khan after a number of flashpoint incidents on the day in question.

The court heard it came to a head after a collision between Mr Khan's BMW and Zaman's Fiesta in Woollam Road.

The windows of the BMW were smashed and when Mr Khan got out of his car he was attacked and repeatedly stabbed, the prosecutor said.

His T-shirt was soaked in blood and he staggered to Arleston Lane where a passing motorist picked him up and took him to hospital.

But throughout the trial Zaman denied he was the man responsible for inflicting the wounds and said he had fled the scene shortly after the collision between the two cars.

He said: "Mazir drove into the back of my car. I got out and ran off.

"I didn't have any weapon on me. I didn't stab him. I was nowhere near when it happened and I didn't stab him."

Zaman's cousin, Shaquil Sultan, also gave evidence and said he had fled with Zaman because the pair were "scared".

He said they hid in nearby bushes before being picked up a taxi.