Telford attempted murder accused 'in earlier incidents'

Mohammed Kabir Zaman, 27, is said to have stabbed Mazir Khan four times in a late night clash in the street in the Arleston area of Telford.

The 32-year-old victim suffered serious injuries to his lungs, bowel and liver in Woollam Road on April 14 this year.

A jury at Stafford Crown Court heard that in the hours before the stabbing the defendant is alleged to have attacked a car and threatened the victim's brother with a hammer at a takeaway restaurant.

Zaman, of Victoria Avenue, Wellington, denies charges of attempted murder, wounding with intent and affray.

Giving evidence behind a screen, Amjad Hussain, a friend of Mr Khan, said he was in the car when Zaman attacked the vehicle with a hammer.

He said it was about 9pm and he was speaking to Mr Khan on the phone when another car pulled up in front of them.

"Kabir got out and came to the passenger side of the Mercedes and he had a hammer and was shouting 'where is Maz?'. I told him Maz was not there," he said.

Mr Hussain said the defendant struck the window twice but it didn't break and then he hit the wing mirror which broke off and they then drove away.

Under cross examination by Anthony Barraclough, for Zaman, the witness denied that he was lying.

At about 10.15pm Azaer Khan, the victim's older brother, who also gave his evidence behind a screen, said he was working at the Tiger Bowl Chinese takeaway in Watling Street when Zaman burst in.

He said: "He was very aggressive and shouting 'where is your brother' and 'where is Maz' and he was carrying a hammer.

He said that Zaman was leaning over the high counter and was waving the hammer at him.

"It just missed me. I was scared for my safety," he said.

An hour later he was in his brother Abed Khan's car when they came across a commotion in Woollam Road. He said he saw Zaman and another man running off and heard people shouting "Maz has been stabbed" and "they have stabbed him".

The trial continues.