A TEENAGER was falsely imprisoned, beaten and unlawfully wounded in a so-called honour attack, a judge has ruled.

But Judge Mark Brown concluded the attack on the teenager, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was not because of his race specifically but because he was not of the same Pakistani heritage as the four men involved in the attack on him.

Preston Crown Court heard how Khizum Baig, 29, Saqib Mirza Baig, 29, Ghazanfar Mirza, 38, and Mirza Baig, 48, all pleaded guilty to affray in relation to the incident which happened in Blackburn on March 7, 2016.

Ghazanfar Mirza, also pleaded guilty to false imprisonment, Saqib Mirza Baig pleaded guilty to unlawful wounding and Khizum Baig pleaded guilty to assault by beating.

Prosecuting, Nicholas Flanagan revealed that during the incident at least one of the men said to the victim 'don't mess with our blood' and 'stick within your own kind'.

All four defendants denied there was a racial element to the disorder or that they said either of those phrases.

But Mr Flanagan said the prosecution had always proceeded on the basis this was a case with a racial element. And the crown had not proceeded with allegations of kidnapping, wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm and robbery on the basis that the men plead guilty to the charges they did on the full facts of the case. None of the defendants entered a basis of plea until the day of sentencing.

Mr Flanagan said: "The crown made it very clear the basis for which this matter was being brought was because of the ethnic origin of the complainant.That hasn't changed in the last 15 months.

"All four defendants entered their guilty pleas on the full facts of the case in February. These issues have always been there. In relation to racial aggravation I made the position very clear both before, during and after the trial date."

Defending Saqib Mirza Baig, Andrew Nuttall said: "My client's motivation for the attack seems to be honour rather than race."

Defending Mirza Baig, Joe Boyd said his client also denied there was any racial motivation for the attack.

Mr Boyd added: "My client says he didn't utter any of the words which are attributed to him."

Ruling that there was a racial element to the case, Judge Brown said: "I am told the four defendants adamantly deny there is any racial motivation to the case. The prosecution are very concerned about that. It has been made abundantly clear to them at the time the case was set for trial and when the guilty pleas were entered that the defendants would be sentenced on the full facts.

"The prosecution aren't saying the prime motivation was the victim's ethnic background. The prosecution are saying the motivation is he wasn't of Pakistani origin.

"I have carefully considered what has been said to me and I have come to a conclusion that the time has arrived when this case should be dealt with. There has been far too long of a delay in the case. It seems to me I am entitled to come to a conclusion what the motivation for the offence was."

Judge Brown, who is the Recorder of Preston adjourned the sentencing hearing until December 14 when it will be heard before Judge Sara Dodd.

Khizum Baig, of Blackthorn Close, Blackburn, Saqib Mirza Baig, of Beechwood Court, Blackburn, Ghazanfar Mirza, of Rosewood Avenue, Blackburn, and Mirza Baig, of Hamilton Road, Ribbleton, Preston, were all given conditional bail not to contact the victim.