A MAN whose hand was seriously damaged during an altercation between two feuding families has denied his father started the weapon-fuelled violence which ultimately led to his death.

Ahsan Choudry told a jury at Preston Crown Court that he thought he was going to die after his hand was left “hanging off” as a result of fending off a machete blow allegedly delivered by defendant Sadaqat Ali.

The court heard how Mr Choudry’s father, Sajed, died two weeks after being struck with a machete in the same altercation near his home in Rhyl Avenue, Blackburn, on the evening of November 27.

Prosecuting, Gordon Cole QC said there had been issues between the Choudry and Ali families, who lived nearby in the town, for several months.

The court heard Sadaqat Ali, 36, was arrested after he hit Ahsan, 24, over the head with a bar following a chance meeting in the street three days before the fatal attack.

While Sadaqat was in custody, his wife saw another son of Mr Choudry, Mohsan, 20, approach her husband’s car and slash one of the tyres, which led to his arrest too, the jury was told.

That led to a stand-off on November 27 when Sadaqat, his brother Rafaqat Ali, 38, their father-in-law Fazal Ilahi, 62, another man, Syed Ali Akbar, 45, and a youth who cannot be identified for legal reasons, allegedly armed themselves with pieces of wood, an axe and a machete-type weapon and gathered in Rhyl Avenue.

Minutes before the violence erupted, Ahsan said he had been walking down the street to meet his friend, Shazad Shah, who was waiting to pick him up in a BMW when he heard someone call out.

When being interviewed by police in hospital after the disturbance, Ahsan told officers that he initially thought it was his father who had shouted after him.

But said he soon realised it was Sadaqat – Sadaqat is alleged to have sworn at him and told him to wait there.

Ahsan told police: “That one had the machete. I got attacked by him on Saturday night (November 24).

“He was saying you mother f*****. Wait there. We’ll see what happens.

“Basically, I started laughing. I knew something was going to happen anyway. I jogged off towards the car.”

Ahsan said while he was sat in the car Sadaqat approached the passenger’s side and tried to open the door before making further threats. At that point he phoned the police.

While he was waiting for officers to arrive, Ahsan said another friend came up to the car and told him there were men outside his house with bars and bats.

Ahsan said when he got closer to his house he saw his dad, armed with a bat, standing in a field close to members of the rival family. Ahsan’s mother, Shazia, was also at the scene.

After initially grabbing two bricks, Ahsan armed himself with a child’s cricket bat.

He said: “In that time these four people walked towards my dad. They have gone straight for him. After that I have lashed out at one of the guys. After that I just kept getting attacked.

“My dad got hit with a bat or a bar in his head. I saw my dad on the floor. I couldn’t get to him.”

Ahsan said after receiving numerous blows, resulting in various cuts and bruises to his head he 'couldn’t hack it anymore' and went back to his house.

But he told police he was followed by Sadaqat who began hitting his front door. Ahsan said he then came back out of the house and struck Sadaqat to the back of the head with such force it caused his bat to break.

Ahsan said: “He’s seen the chance to attack me again. He’s whacked the machete down. I tried to block it. I didn’t know it was a machete. "It’s just sliced me. I fell back into my doorway. I thought my hand was going to fall off.”

He continued: “After that I felt like I was going to go. I felt faint. I could hear what was going on. I thought I was going to die.”

During cross-examination, Ahsan denied he had been swearing and shouting at Sadaqat as he walked past the house, or that he had been seeking revenge for the attack days earlier.

He also denied he had made threats to kill and rape Rafaqat’s wife Asma.

When asked if his father had caused the violence by hitting Sadaqat first, Ahsan said: “No. My dad got hit first.”

He also denied he had instructed a family friend to attack one of the rival group.

Sadaqat, Rafaqat, Ilahi, Akbar and the youth all deny murder and attempted murder.

Sadaqat’s wife Saira Ali and Asma Ali deny attempting to pervert the course of justice in relation to an allegation they were involved in deliberately switching off the CCTV system covering the outside of Sadaqat’s home before any violence started.

The trial continues.